THE iDOLMSTER! One Hope
by PhoenixFlames19
Summary: Chapter 13 has been uploaded. It was one of those busy days of the week but the Producer still had time to commit an action he never had the chance to start. Unfortunately, he's going to receive some unexpected results.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game THE iDOLMSTER is the property of outside companies and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Note: **This is my first fanfic work and is in progression. The title is self-explanatory. Hopefully, it will entrance you, the readers, to keep reading and expect more. I will occasionally but necessarily return to previous chapters and correct them if they do not accurately follow the intended plot. Last note, this is a sequel to THE iDOLMSTER 2 the game for the xbox360 and PS3.

Also, this Prologue had been revised as of October 10, 2011. It is still open for revision and edits, and is subject to change.

Without further delay, proceed toward the stage. Enjoy.

**Prologue [Revised]  
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Tokyo, Japan...

City folk were diligent than ever with their daily outdoor activities; some went to work while others go to school or universities. On their free time, they would visit the park and bask themselves in the awe-inspiring atmosphere of nature, have delectable meals alone or with a group of friends, or simply return home and spend time with the family. There were many people who perform these activities, out of love and joy. Take, for example, a young cheery girl named Haruka. She had always done her best in her job as an idol and shared her lovable smile during her endeavors. She had a similar feeling of that atmosphere, which was a quality that made the girl unique. She, however, was not the only one with such admirable qualities. There were others like her, specifically her fellow companions. Together, they worked under a music production company that specialized in training and transforming young individuals, like them, into idols. That company was called 765 Productions.

Under the superior leadership of its current president, Junjirou Takagi, and its trustworthy and supportive staff members, 765 Productions had become a force to be reckoned with. The company had won the Idol Academy competition twice in a row, participated in various events where only specific idols were chosen as role models in certain magazines, commercials, etc., and defeated its rivals.

Aside from rivalry, the company's idols previously hit a popularity wall where soloists were not particularly favored, except for units. As a result, the company did not receive as much fame and fortune as it should, and was near the brink of collapse. But thanks to the quick actions of the company's employee, the nameless Producer, on formulating a unit and participating in the Idol Academy competition, the disaster had been averted.

The previous dilemma was over but now President Takagi faced a new problem. His company received many applications from young girls whose dream was to become an idol. However, he had no power to accept newcomers since the company was, once again, nearing end of its life. He already had enough to deal with as of late; the company had received too many applications from young eager candidates all of which carried with them an abundance of great potential, and not nearly enough employees to manage the current singers, groups, and tours to possibly keep up with the growing demand of fresh new stars. Just to produce a small group was highly costly in terms of time, money, man-power, and resources. The difficulty of maintaining the company had also become overwhelming, which was another issue he had to focus on. The expenses, the bills, and paychecks were things President Takagi must continue to quarrel with. But the main challenge was to maintain the girls' careers as idols and their well-being characters, and to solve any personal issues they may have in their lives, which would be disabling them from performing efficiently in the company. Otherwise, they would fall, and their dreams would forever be crushed beneath the heavy weight of failure.

Another problem was the rising probability of Kuroi's return, bringing with him a new batch of idols that would definitely take out 765 pro. Takagi never had the intention to pit another idol war against him, but due to his persistence he had no option but to fight back, thus making the situation in the company direr.

The producers, office clerk, and Takagi himself had done the best of their ability in maintaining the company. Takagi also had to require the assistance of his own friend, a reporter who had done newspaper reports and stories for the idols in the past. However, it was still not enough to cease the oncoming disaster. To deal with these dilemmas, Takagi needed a plan, the kind of plan that would prevent to fall of the company and the crushing blow to the idols' dreams. Due to these rising difficulties, Takagi had decided to recruit a new member to the Idolmster family, in particular, a co-Producer. As much as he wanted to hire more employees, he lacked the funds to consider the action. Though, he was fortunate enough to have a flow of income for a co-Producer.

The person he had in mind had to be someone who had a special quality, a hidden potential to produce idols; someone similar to the Producer. The Producer of 765 Pro had started it and served the company since day one of his debut. Now President Takagi needed his future Co-Producer to finish it, someone that would definitely save the music company from the envoy of the end and change the lives of the idols forever.

**Note: **If you suspect errors of any type, please inform me so I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	2. Chapter 1 President's Decision

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game THE iDOLMSTER is the property of outside companies and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **The "Producer" of this fanfic will remain nameless since that was the original intention of the Creators of the series. To help further identify this protagonist, capitalization will be issued. It will not be necessary to apply this action if referring to more than one (producers).

**Note(s): **My chapters are fairly short, not too long. It was an issue for me to not allow myself to write too much per chapter.

_Italics _represent thoughts and previous memories

Without further ado, let the first chapter commence. Enjoy.

**Chapter 1 President's Decision**

Morning had arrived with the sun almost at its highest peak in the pleasant blue sky, shining its warm light on the city of Tokyo. The sunlight penetrated through the clear tinted window on the third floor of a building.

"This is rather troublesome…" As the man sighed, he picked up a couple of papers, arranged like two straight flushes on both of his hands, and skimmed through each. "What decision to make… when there are many applications from potential, young girls?"

Underneath his occupied hands was a table cluttered with other documents and files in a disorganized fashion. Immediately, he dropped the applications down with the rest of the clump.

The man rotated his swivel chair and rose up to embrace the warm sunlight. _This won't be an easy task… Maybe I should hold out on hiring new idols until—_

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, abruptly interrupting the man's train of thought. The knock was followed by a muffled voice, "Shachou, it's us."

Recognizing who the voice belonged to, the man responded. "Ah yes! Please come in!" He placed his hands behind his back and continued to stare at the window in front of him.

The door gently swung open, revealing a young man and woman. They both entered the office, then the young man closing the door behind them.

They bowed courteously. "Good morning, Shachou." Together, they straightened themselves and stood side-by-side in front of the President of 765 Productions.

"You wanted to see us?" the man asked.

President Takagi remained still without budging an inch. "Yes, I did." His voice was lowly somber, which the duo happened to notice.

"Is it serious?" the woman asked.

President Takagi pondered a bit. "Hmm… I cannot exactly say it _is_ serious, however…" President Takagi paused momentarily before turning to face the man and woman. "The situation should be handled with care."

The two young individuals responded with low nervous grunts as they lowered their heads down slightly while keeping their eyes on President Takagi. President Takagi examined them carefully.

President Takagi first focused his eyes on the man, the current Producer of 765 Productions. He had worked for 765 Pro for more than a year now and just recently returned from Hollywood. Ever since the Producer's idol unit won the Idol Academy, he was considered a top producer.

The Producer had no special physicals features, just black, mid-length, straight hair with some spiky ends, commonly pale skin, the average height of "5' 7," and spectacles over his brown eyes. His black business suit, white buttoned shirt, blue striped necktie, and dress shoes did not make him stand out too much.

Though, he was no ordinary producer. He started out small and worked his way up, helping his idols' problems the best way he could. At times in the past, he seemed amateurish but it did not stop him from performing his job. What made him unique was his skill, his capability to produce his idols, and his ability touch the hearts of his idols, which brought his unit forward. Even though his title with 765 Pro was being a producer, he cared for his idols like a friend and as a brother.

When President Takagi examined the Producer, he smiled from the inside. He was glad to have a producer like him working in his company. It was not every day to find someone that was a kind-hearted.

With that thought, President Takagi then turned his eyes to the woman, fellow producer and former idol, Ritsuko Akizuki. Like the Producer, she had worked in 765 Pro for quite some time. She started out as an idol, then changed careers and became a producer. This decision was solely based on her interest to bring 765 Pro to the top.

Ritsuko had the back of her brown hair tied up with the bangs cut straight across the forehead in a blunt manner and long small clumps of hair near her ears hung down. Like the Producer, her skin was pale and she wore glasses, a business suit, though darker black, and court shoes. She had no necktie, just a moss green shirt with a little knot on her collar. She looked perfect, like she was meant to be a business woman, or a producer.

Unlike the Producer, she had an intelligent, organized mind, occasionally offering assistance toward young girls' homework and arranging schedules for the idols' various events such as debut concerts, radio talk, and game shows. She was the brains of the company and knew how to invest beneficially.

She was also not very tall, actually she was much shorter than President Takagi and the Producer, and reached as high as the Producer's shoulders, but this was common in most Japanese women. Despite her height and her young age, she still looked very mature. It was not just because of her suit but how serious and experienced she was. When there is a situation, she would not hesitate to take action.

President Takagi had no doubts about the producers' capabilities. It was not just them but the idols as well. He admired them for working very hard and wished for no better. However, he believed that their combined efforts may still not be enough to overcome the situation 765 Pro had gotten itself into… debts, expenses, the overflowing applications, and its rivals… specifically Takao Kuroi.

"It is thanks to your units' victories that we are still running." As President Takagi continued, his voice became tense. "It is sad to say that the effect has worn off. Even after the Producer's return, things have still proven difficult."

The Producer crossed his arms, posing worriedly. "You told me about that. Maybe going to Hollywood, wasn't the best idea?"

President Takagi chuckled and waved his hands in assurance. "Oh no! It was an excellent idea! The trip did give you more experience. The idols were very happy to hear about your return."

The Producer became embarrassed and uttered a light chuckle, scratching the back of his head. Despite the embarrassment, he couldn't help but to smile. "Yeah… They sure were excited to see me that day."

Ritsuko gazed at President Takagi with a serious stare. "Shachou, that's not why we're here, right?"

"You're right, Ritsuko-kun." President Takagi cleared his throat and abruptly straightened himself. "Indeed, difficulty had risen. The two of you have improved over the year and I don't doubt your abilities. However… I believe they will not be enough to keep 765 Productions from collapsing."

"I don't want to believe it, but you're right…" the Producer reluctantly agreed.

Ritsuko crossed her arms, with a hand covering her chin, entering a stance of thought processing. "Not only the dilemmas here but our rival as well…"

The Producer looked at her. "961 Pro…"

Ritsuko returned the glance with a nod.

"Kuroi will most definitely make a comeback… very likely with a new batch of idols. However, he is not the only one. There are other rivals as well… but we'll focus on that another time for there is something more important to discuss." President Takagi lowered himself on the chair and twirled around to face the Producer and Ritsuko. "I am sure you noticed the mess on my table. Rather, I'm a little embarrassed. I'm like a tornado," he continued with a chortle.

The Producer leaned his body slightly and hanged his arms down. "You're enthusiasm is too much, Shachou," he replied with a nervous smile. One could almost see a sweat drop on his head.

"Anyways, the truth is that it will continue to be difficult at this pace. As a countermeasure, I have turned to a solution…"

The office became silent with no one making a sound. President Takagi, the Producer, and Ritsuko, were locked together in a triangle with solemn expressions. The situation could go on but time is of the essence.

"The solution is simple…" President Takagi continued. "It is for the best of 765 Productions and its idols that we hire a new member."

"You mean… another producer?" Ritsuko asked curiously.

President Takagi shook his head. "More like… a co-producer."

"Isn't that the same thing?" the Producer asked, leaning slightly to the side and about to think what it means.

Ritsuko smiled, and turned to the Producer. "Not exactly. A co-producer performs similar functions like us except he or she is more limited. For example, you are in business with one practice, let's say a dance session, and cannot focus on a singing session. The co-producer can take over that second practice for you. It is the same thing with multiple meetings…" She seemed very enthusiastic just for explaining to the Producer. It was like she was teaching him something he doesn't know.

"I see… In other words, kind of like a side-kick."

Ritsuko nodded. "More or less like that. That would mean the co-producer can deal with some of the dirty work we may not want to do."

The Producer became worried. "Um… that's kind of a situational thing to say… don't you think?" He had already feared for the life of the poor co-producer that had yet to be hired, just by directing his glance at her.

Ritsuko was oblivious at first, wondering why the Producer was staring at her like that, until she realized what he was implying. "H-Hey! What makes you think I'll do that to our co-producer?" she yelled, angered by his accusation.

The Producer, stunned by Ritsuko's response, shunned himself away from her in defense with the palms of his hands against her. "Ah! It was a misunderstanding!" He looked as if he was about to be attacked.

Then, President Takagi coughed once, which immediately caught the Producer and Ritsuko's attention. "Anyways… Are the two of you okay with this?"

"Well… wouldn't it just be better to hire another producer?" asked the Producer. "I mean, a co-producer is almost the same."

"It would've been better but due to the debts and expenses, I won't be able to. The expenses are just as costly as hiring and producing a single idol or a unit."

Nearly towards the end of that statement made the Producer realized the situation. "Oh… right." When he looked away, he felt a little ashamed for asking an unnecessary question.

President Takagi spun his chair sideways and glanced at Producer with a smile. "Ah, don't worry so much about that." He sighed, disappointed that there is no shortcut in life. "The world is not what it seemed. That is why I started this company… to make dreams come true for those who want to become idols and to put smiles on people's faces."

"Shachou…" The Producer and Ritsuko were touched by President Takagi's ambition. That short but sweet speech formed gentle smiles on their faces and a heartwarming feeling in their hearts.

"Oh! There I go again!" President Takagi chuckled out in joy. His enthusiasm, though, only further developed his relationship with his beloved producers. "Anyways, I have taken your time long enough. Are you okay with this?"

The Producer and Ritsuko nodded. "Of course, Shachou!"

"Good answer, you two! Now then…" President Takagi handed out two files to the Producer and Ritsuko. "I need you to give out our request to the public."

The Producer and Ritsuko opened the files and examined the contents inside. As they read through them, President Takagi continued.

"…whether it is the newspaper or the radio, do whatever means necessary to find our co-producer! Also, it cannot just be an ordinary person. He or she has to be someone, like you two and our idols, with special qualities that can definitely change all of our lives for the better! Understand?"

The producers closed the files and performed a salute. "Yes, Shachou!" They were like soldiers, serious and dedicated to the cause, which made President Takagi proud to have such a team.

"I expect good results. You're dismissed."

With the meeting adjourned, the producers bowed and excused themselves. Just before they left through the door, there was a young woman standing in front of them. Immediately, the young woman stepped to the side, allowing the producers to leave. She smiled at them before closing the door.

President Takagi looked at the young woman with a smile. "Oh, Otonashi-kun! Right on time!"

The young woman wore a forest green and black vest over her white long-sleeved buttoned shirt with an oversized yellow bow on her chest, black short pencil skirt, and stockings. She had brown eyes and fairly short, straight tea green hair, reaching down to her shoulders. To further finalize her appearance as the office clerk of 765 Pro, she wore a yellow headset transceiver.

Kotori smiled and turned to President Takagi when she heard her name. "Shachou! Were you expecting me?"

"Ah yes. As you can see…" President Takagi paused and looked at his scattered documents and files before switching back to Kotori. "I am now in a dire situation…"

"Eh? What do you mean?" Without President Takagi knowing, Kotori shifted eyes away with a nervous open-mouthed smile on her face. _Don't tell me…_

"One thing off my shoulder, another takes its place… I have all these applications to look over. Then I have these electric bills and tax papers… Can you please help me?"

Kotori giggled lightly in reluctance, trying her best not to show too much of her disapproval. "O-Of course!" She started to contemplate again. _Shachou… Why can't you do it yourself?_

As Kotori was about to approach to the side of his table, she suddenly remembered something. "Oh, that's right! Did you talk to them about that?"

"Yes, I did," President Takagi replied with a nod, before spinning his chair one last time to face the window. "It's going to be difficult. We're going to need all the help we can get for this one. Let's just hope we find the right person…"

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If there are any errors in this chapter, please let me know so that I can correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	3. Chapter 2 The CoProducer Hunt

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game THE iDOLMSTER is the property of outside companies and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There are a few references from THE iDOLMSTER anime. For those who have seen the anime, you should be able to recognize them.

**Note(s): **Itadakimasu - "Let's eat; Thank you for the meal; I humbly receive; etc."

Konnichiwa - "Hello during the afternoon; Good Afternoon."

Shachou - "President (a note I missed from the last chapter)."

I am sure some of you noticed descriptive paragraphs in the last chapter. I believe they are absolutely necessary to identify new characters and to assist readers who are not completely familiar with the characters. It is also essential for I am trying to be more realistic with the setting. If you have watched the anime, then you will noticed that the idols don't wear the same clothes repeatedly and consecutively (only the games of the series do that).

***Important* **Transitions, or scene changes, will be indicated by horizontal rulers.

Without further ado, let the first chapter commence. Enjoy.

**Chapter 2 The Co-Producer Hunt**

It had not been long since the important meeting between President Takagi and the producers. Ritsuko and the Producer had just left the music production and were on their way to the center square of Tokyo. The President had given them a task and the producers intended to accomplish it.

The producers' task was to let the public know that 765 Pro was currently hiring for the newly instated position of co-producer. To complete this task, they needed to distribute fliers, posters, and messages to the public people. Fliers would be aimed towards the public people, posters would be patched on window shields of restaurants and shops, and messages would be delivered through television and radio talks.

The day was young and the producers wanted to accomplish their mission as quickly and efficiently as possible. Instead of going together from the center square, they decided to split up. That way they can cover more ground. Tokyo was a large city so it would be a long morning for them.

The Producer had just arrived at one of the selected key locations on his list. Facing in front of him was a fairly large television studio. When he gazed at the building, some of his memories began to emerge. His idols took part in a show here once before, a popular cooking show called Ribbit Ribbit Kitchen.

"Ah, this brings back memories!" the Producer exclaimed, shaping his mouth into a grin. Without noticing, he started to remember the time when one of the idols attempted to bring along a piece of a costume, a frog head to be precise. As he thought about it, he started laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Ah ha ha… She sure was attached to that costume back then. I wonder if she still does…"

When the Producer proceeded to think about it further, he quickly shook his head, remembering his mission. "No, now is not the time to bring up the past! I've got to move forward toward the future and find our new member!" He was really enthusiastic and eager to find the person to fill the role of co-producer, looking as though he was ready to pounce.

The Producer stood his ground and slapped his cheeks. "All right! Let's do this!" With his mind focused and confidence established, he marched into the building, through the doors, with the file gripped firmly in his hand.

* * *

><p>The television studio was quite massive but the Producer knew his way around. When he visited the director's office, he noticed that the director was not there. Wondering where he was, the Producer left and searched for him.<p>

The Producer ventured his way through the hallways. Somewhere along the way, he occasionally asked the crew about the director's whereabouts. Unfortunately, their directions led him to dead ends. It was quite odd, as if the director had been walking everywhere in the studio nonstop.

As the Producer continued his search, he started to become unusually exhausted. It was not because of the constant pacing from one place to another but the humid temperature that the entire building is exerting.

"Why is it so hot in here?" the Producer complained, wiping the sweat off his face with a handkerchief. "Maybe, the air conditioner is broken?" He placed his handkerchief away and continued walking.

* * *

><p>Inside a room, cluttered with old professional video cameras, microphones, and other studio equipment, there were two men near an air conditioner. One of them was underneath the air conditioner. He seemed to be fixing the machine as there was a toolbox next to that man's body.<p>

The second man, observing the fixer, leaned forward with his hand against the wall. "So, how is it?"

The second man, known as the director, appeared rather short and slightly chubby. Like his height, his hair was short and colored with a mixture of black and brown. He had a slightly wrinkled face, decorated with a stubble-style beard and large, square glasses with rounded corners, over his brown, droopy eyes.

His clothing style was not very professional but not too casual either. He wore a white long-sleeved button shirt with the first button near his collar bone open, brown slacks, and an extra small-sized pink shirt with its sleeves wrapped loosely around his neck, looking as though he had a little cape.

"I'm just about… done!" the first man exclaimed. He pulled himself away from the air conditioner and turned on the switch of the thermostat.

After a brief silence, the air conditioner projected a steady revving sound and the vent above the ceiling started to exert a cool pleasant breeze. The director raised his face up, closed his eyes, and embraced the cool air.

The director's voice rose with pleasure. "Ah, that feels so good!" Lowering his head, the director glanced at the man. "Good job!" He slapped his back with a gracious smile on his face. "I knew you could do it! In a "Mechanic-san" of way! You have my thanks!"

The man, known as the Mechanic by the director, twitched by the impact but quickly regained his composure. Placing his hands into his pockets, he unveiled a casual smile. "You flatter me, director."

"Nonsense! Now then… here's the money I owe you!" The director handed over four thousand yen to Kamei. The amount was just a little over fifty US dollars.

The Mechanic received, and slid his pay into his pocket. "Thank you, kindly. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Well… there is that one other thing…" The director started to mumble to himself.

The Mechanic looked away with an oblivious expression. "There he goes…"As he gazed at the director ranting his mouth, his attention span started to fade. "I'm starting to get bored now… so I'll see you later." He headed for the door.

The director noticed the Mechanic leaving and broke from his trance. "Well, I'll be counting on you next time!"

* * *

><p>After the Mechanic left the equipment room, he headed for the front entrance. Somewhere along the hallway, the Mechanic noticed someone in a business suit, leaning against the wall next to the dressing room. He looked rather exhausted but in the same time relieved as he was helping himself to the cool breeze, emitting from the vent diagonal from him.<p>

The Mechanic approached the man in the business suit. "You seemed to be exhausted."

The business man, or the Producer, looked at the man, surprised by the Mechanic's sudden greeting. "Eh? Oh, yeah…"

The Mechanic cocked his head slightly to the side. "Were you looking for someone?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I am."

The Mechanic examined the Producer, highlighting the anomalies with his eyes. "Judging by your formal wear and the file in your hand, you must be looking for the director."

The Producer widened his eyes, more surprised than before, with his voice rising like a warning siren megaphone used in the World War II. "E-Eh? How did you know?"

The Mechanic shifted his gaze away. His posture and facial expression looked as though he was spacing out but he was actually having a thought. After a brief moment of silence, he glanced at the Producer. "I just know."

"Um…" The Producer paused, feeling rather awkward. _You just… know?_

"The director is at the equipment room," the Mechanic said, directing his face south. "You can still catch him."

The Producer pushed himself off the wall and looked at the man graciously. "R-Really? Thanks a lot!" He scurried past the Mechanic with a wave of his hand, indicating a good-bye sign.

The Mechanic turned and followed the Producer with his eyes, watching him until he took a right turn at the corner and disappeared from the hallway.

"What an eager man…" he said with his voice low and calm.

As the Producer's footsteps gradually faded away into silence, the Mechanic turned back and continued his short pilgrimage to the studio entrance.

* * *

><p>Morning had passed with middle afternoon taking its place. The sun was at its highest with some puffs of clouds lingering in the sky. The weather was quite humid but still pleasant. The time was 4:00pm, the time for all students to break free from school, join afterschool or outdoor activities, or simply return home for the day.<p>

The students were not the only ones free as Ritsuko and the Producer had finished their task not too long ago. With their mission completed, they decided to take a quick break at a local family restaurant with some refreshing drinks and ramen noodles.

Picking up their chopsticks, Ritsuko and the Producer performed the Japanese code of etiquette, the appraisal. "Itadakimasu!"

"This is usually not part of my diet… but I'll make an except for today!" Ritsuko exclaimed brightly with a pleased smile on her face. Dipping the tips of her chopsticks into the bowl, she began to gorge on the scrumptious high-quality ramen noodles.

The Producer's mouth formed a grin. "You seemed to be really happy today."

Ritsuko swallowed a small chunk of noodles down her throat before focusing on the Producer. "Of course! We accomplished the task given to us by Shachou without problems!"

"Yeah… Because 765 Pro is part of the big league now, there's going to be plenty of applicants."

"That's right… The stack of applications will be doubled or, perhaps, even tripled." Ritsuko sighed out of frustration. "It'll be a hassle to check each of them thoroughly."

The Producer paused and switched his gaze to his bowl of ramen noodles, thinking about what President Takagi said to them earlier. _The two of you have improved over the year and I don't doubt your abilities. However… I believe they will not be enough to keep 765 Productions from collapsing._ The memory lingered in his mind, hitting him each time he repeated President Takagi's words.

Ritsuko had been observing the Producer while eating her ramen noodles. He had not touched his bowl ever since the appraisal, which made her wonder what was on in his mind.

"Producer, are you alright?" Ritsuko asked, with a worried tone of voice.

Breaking from his trance, the Producer looked at her. "Huh? Oh, I'm alright. I'm just thinking about what Shachou said to us…"

"I see…"

Ritsuko and the Producer continued to converse with each other until they were approached by three young girls, with one of them stepping to the side of the table with a cheery, warm smile on her face.

"Konnichiwa, Producer-san~! Ritsuko-san~!"

Startled by the sudden greeting, they turned to the girl. When they looked at her then upon the rest of the girls, they recognized who they were.

Facing in front of them were three young females, working under the same production company as Ritsuko and the Producer. Not only were they close friends with each other but also idols as well.

The first girl that greeted the producers was the cheerful, hard-working idol, Haruka Amami. She had worked under 765 Productions for more than a year now, like the producers, and served as a source of high-spirited influence. She joined the company because of her childhood dream to sing and dance on stage.

Haruka was young and beautiful with her brown, straight, shoulder-length hair, her green emerald eyes, her soft pale skin. What made her adorable were her signature red ribbons tied on both sides of her hair and, most importantly, that smile of hers. When she smiles, everyone around her does the same. Even when she trips and falls, due to her clumsiness, she still offered that wonderful smile, giving a pleasant feeling of relieve and joy.

Because Haruka had just returned from school, she was wearing her uniform. Most of her uniform was red, the vest was a deep shade, the shirt under was very light, all except for her navy blue skirt. She also had with her a black bag, carrying her mp3 player, school books and other materials. As an entirety, both her uniform and bag fitted her nicely, just like a normal school girl.

"K-Konnichiwa, Producer-san…" the second girl greeted in a soft, reserved tone.

The second girl standing next to Haruka on her left was the timid and shy, but dedicated idol, Yukiho Hagiwara. Like Haruka, she had worked under 765 Pro. Many of her fans and the boys from her school view her as an innocent and fragile girl. Due to this, she joined the company for she no longer wanted to be viewed as that kind of girl.

Yukiho's face was as cute, sinless and pure as a newly born baby. Her features, otherwise known as her nature was also reflected upon some of her weaknesses, such as her fear of dogs and men, though these fears slowly diminished thanks to the Producer. Indeed, she looked innocent with her finely cut light brown, shoulder-length hair but she had those adorable yet strong brown eyes, filled with confidence developed over the years as an idol.

She had a simple clothing style, wearing a one-piece tea rosy pink, baby blue checkered dress with thin frills around her upper arms and chest, near her collar bone. A sky blue colored cloth was also part of the dress, wrapped around the hemline like a thin belt. Her entire appearance was like a young lady, childish yet mature-looking.

"Hey, Producer! Konnichiwa!" the last girl exclaimed, her voice filled with vigor.

The last girl on the opposite side was the tomboyish, energetic idol, Makoto Kikuchi. She, too, had worked under 765 Pro just as long as Haruka and Yukiho. She had many female fans, much to her chagrin, and had joined the company as part of that reason, wanting to achieve more male fans and become more feminine.

Makoto was considered the pretty-boy from her fans and the students from an all-girl school she currently attended. She was known for her sleek umber brown mid-length hair with a portion of her forehead exposed and her beautiful, cool grey eyes. She was also considered handsome because of the way she exposed herself towards others with her boyish manners.

Her everyday clothing style reflected on her tomboyish face. She wore gray fairly loose capri-type of pants, jogging shoes, and a black tank top with spotted light red and white shades under her anti-white flash jacket. And under her top was a bright orange no-laced shirt. Despite the similarities to some masculine traits, her overall appearance still projected a feminine side of hers that many do not seem to notice.

Ristuko and the Producer smiled, happy to see that the three girls were lively and confident as ever.

"Haruka! Makoto! Yukiho! Konnichiwa!" the Producer exclaimed, returning the warm greeting.

"All of you seemed to be tired," Ritsuko said. "Have your fans been chasing you around again, Makoto?"

Makoto hesitated, leaping when Ritsuko's words stung her like a needle. Briefly, she did not know how to react. Smiling nervously, she scratched the side of her tempo with a finger, avoiding Ritsuko's mischievous stare. "Y-Yeah, it was troublesome…"

Haruka placed her hand behind her head. "Yukiho and I were dragged along the way." She was laughing out of embarrassment at the end of her statement.

The Producer chuckled. "Well, you all are popular idols now."

"…but not as popular and successful as Ritsuko's and your previous idol unit, Producer," Yukiho said, smiling sadly with her confident starting to deteriorate. She was trying her best not to show feelings.

Makoto noticed Yukiho's sudden change in attitude and immediately attempted to lull her. "H-Hey, Yukiho… Don't worry too much about that. We'll have our chance to become just as popular as them."

Yukiho looked at Makoto and paused to think about what she said. Smiling, she giggled softly, cocking her head to the side. "You're right Makoto! We can do it!"

"That's the spirit Yukiho!" Haruka exclaimed, throwing her fist up.

The Producer joined in the conversation to support them. "I have confidence in all of you. When the time comes, I will tell you about the next idol unit I am planning to produce in the future."

In a spur of excitement, Haruka, Makoto, and Yukiho focused their entire attention towards the Producer with gleaming eyes and wistful smiles on their faces. "R-Really?" they sung in perfect synch.

The Producer leaned away, effectively stunned by their sudden overwhelming reaction. Regaining his composure, he returned with a smile and a nod. "Absolutely! Just look forward to it!"

Ritsuko glared at the Producer with an annoyed, angry-looking expression. "Hey, Producer. Aren't you forgetting something?"

The Producer looked at her and realized what he has forgotten. "O-Oh… right." He turned back to the girls with some remorse in his heart. "I won't be able to form a new unit… not while 765 Pro is facing issues."

The girls paused for a second and, just like the Producer, remembered the company's dilemmas. Their hopes faltered, they sighed, slumping down like they just had a bad day. "Right…" they muttered sadly.

"Hey now! Let's not worry about that!" the Producer said, quickly changing the subject. "I bet it had been a long day for you girls as well! How about taking a break with us?"

Haruka immediately smiled with her happiness level restored, like all her worries had just vanished. "Yeah it had been! Thank you for the offer, Producer!" She bowed.

Makoto and Yukiho agreed without hesitation, joining Haruka and bowing in respect. "Thank you, Producer!" they replied.

"You're too nice, Producer," Ritsuko said, glancing at him with an affectionate smile. "Be careful who you give offers to."

The Producer chuckled. "Don't have to tell me twice."

Together, they all started to laugh heartedly.

Accepting the Producer's offer, Haruka, Makoto, and Yukiho, sat with him and Ritsuko. The Producer stood up to allow Haruka to slide to the side of the wide chair. Ritsuko does the same with Makoto and Yukiho. Before long, they were all enjoying themselves with the rejuvenating cool drinks and ramen noodles, some recently ordered.

As they were having the time of their lives, they received a sudden announcement by one of the waiters at the stage, positioned against the wall. Ritsuko, Makoto, and Yukiho had to rise up a little and turn to look at the waiter. The Producer and Haruka only had to lean right slightly to see.

"May I have your attention please?" the waiter shouted out with a microphone. When the customers and staff looked at him, he continued. "I am sure all of you have just returned from school and your jobs and are taking a break. In order to make your experience here more pleasant, today's guest will perform a couple of songs for you!"

Haruka glanced at the Producer. "Isn't that great, Producer-san?" Her voice was high, filled with lively eagerness.

The Producer returned the look and nodded. "Yeah! It's a good idea to sweep our worries away."

"…He may not look much but he's quite the pianist! So please, let's give a warm welcome to…" The waiter was stepping to the side and waving his hand toward the man at the piano.

The Producer leaned forward and focused his eyes at the man, interested to know his name. After a short moment of processing the man's face into his mind, he widened his eyes, recognizing who that man was. Even his mouth parted open with his surprised reaction. "I… I know that guy…"

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If there are any errors in this chapter, please let me know so that I can correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	4. Chapter 3 The Man Behind the Piano

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game THE iDOLMSTER is the property of outside companies and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There are a few references from other series, besides THE iDOLMSTER. Those who had seen and/or heard the series should be able to recognize them instantly. Also, this is where the new character makes his first official appearance. You may or may not find him intriguing, but that's how it should be for it is early in the story.

**Note(s): **Itadakimasu - "Let's eat; Thank you for the meal; I humbly receive; etc."

Konnichiwa - "Hello during the afternoon; Good Afternoon."

Shachou - "President."

Again, **horizontal rulers** will represent transitions, or scene changes.

These are some of the same notes. I've left them here, in case you may have forgotten the meaning.

***Important* **I may not always describe unfamiliar characters for they are not completely relevant to the story. In other words, those who have small roles will not be described entirely.

**Chapter 3 The Man Behind the Piano**

The Producer gaze at the man near the piano, and widened his eyes. He was surprised that the man was recognizable. "I… I know that guy…" the Producer whispered.

Despite the Producer's low voice, Ritsuko and the girls still managed to hear him. Turning, they stared at him intently.

"You know him?" Haruka asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

The Producer glanced at Haruka. "N-Not exactly… but I did see him somewhere before…" He looked back to the man and began to speculate why, why he seemed very familiar. "Just maybe…"

The Producer recollected his thoughts from the previous events earlier in the morning, but he could not remember since a lot has happened, involving the job. To help jog his memory, he examined the man, who was now gracefully and skillfully playing the piano. The first thing he noticed immediately was the object on his head.

"That hat…" The Producer paused, and glared intensely at the hat the piano man wore. Suddenly, the memory hit him like a baseball bat. "It's him… The guy from the television studio…"

Ritsuko crossed her arms under her chest. "Television studio…?" She began to wonder which studio the Producer was referring to, as the idols visited more than one in the past.

Looking at his surprised expression, Ritsuko turned around and looked at the man, who was gracefully playing the piano. "Wait a minute… Déjà vu?" Like the Producer, she had seen that man in the hat before. "N-No way… I've seen him too!"

The Producer jerked his head and leaned forward. "R-Really?"

Ritsuko nodded. "Yeah. I believe he was at one of the radio stations I visited." Tilting her head, she shifted her eyes upward and cogitated about that memory.

* * *

><p>The time was 10:30am in the morning. Ritsuko had just arrived at one of the radio stations that were listed on her file. She was already inside the building, and scouting her way towards the broadcasting room. She and her unit, Ryuuguu Komachi, visited here a few times before therefore, she knew her way around.<p>

When Ritsuko arrived at the broadcasting room and opened the door, she witnessed an argument between the talk show host and the radio crew. They seemed to be arguing about the radio equipment not operating. The host was terribly agitated, blaming the crew for the equipment's malfunction.

"U-Um… excuse me?" Ritsuko called out, waving her hand at the host. Instead of a greeting, she received more ranting, which stunned and inclined her to lean away in self-defense.

Ritsuko remained still and maintained her position before she tried again, this time with a louder voice. "Excuse me!" Despite her attempt to catch their attention a second time, the host and the crew still assaulted each other with complaints.

She depressed her head until the shadows covered her eyes. All that could be seen from her face was a sullen frown, stern and narrow eyebrows, and her gleaming eyeglasses. She was truly aggravated.

Reaching her limit , Ritsuko jerked her body into "command mode" and stomped her foot down. "Everyone! Be quiet!" Her voice skyrocketed with such intensity that it pierced all the men's ears, thus finally obtaining their attention.

The host and the radio crew stared at Ritsuko with frightened eyes, leaning their shivering bodies away from her. Ritsuko seemed to be very pleased with herself. Not only had she gained their attention but also scared the pants off them. They looked like little girls that had just seen a demon.

Before Ritsuko could continue with her duty, she was interrupted by a hearted laughter emitted from behind her. "Ah ha ha! You certainly didn't waste any time to take action."

Ritsuko gasped, and quickly turned her body to the side to gaze up at the man. In return, he looked at her with a casual smile. "Heya. Good work on returning them to reality." The man switched his glance to the host, remembering his purpose here. "By the way, I'm here to fix your equipment."

As the man walked forward into the broadcasting room, Ritsuko continued to gaze at the man who had just complimented her ability to bring attention when needed. She wanted to say something to him but remembered that she also had business to take care of.

After the man entered the other room, which contained the radio equipment, Ritsuko approached the host, and discussed with him about issuing an announcement towards the end of the talk show.

* * *

><p>Then Ritsuko returned to reality, and shifted her eyes to the Producer. "That's basically how it was."<p>

"I see… Maybe it's just a coincidence," the Producer said.

Haruka turned to the Producer, moving his shoulder with her hand. "Producer-san! Kamei-san, is actually not that bad!" She returned her gaze back to the pianist, entranced by the beautiful music he is producing with his fingers.

Curious, Ritsuko and the Producer followed Haruka's gaze to the pianist, and listened intently to the rhythm and melody being projected throughout the restaurant. The song sounded very familiar, like they heard from somewhere. It was a song from a certain CG movie based on an RPG game, produced by the video game company, Square Enix. The movie they were thinking about was Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.

"Could it be… Tifa's Theme, in piano version?" Ritsuko asked.

The Producer confirmed the song with a nod. "Yes, it sounds like it. There are a few mistakes but not bad at all."

"His playing sounds so gentle and graceful," Yukiho said. As she had closed her eyes, she was listening to the song with a serene smile placed on her face.

Makoto turned to the Producer. "He's not as good as a certain guy we know," Makoto said, rolling her eyes. She seemed to be referring to the so-called handsome blonde guy that used to be part of Project Jupiter at 961 Pro. "But he still manages for a bum!"

Yukiho looked at Makoto. "M-Makoto-san, isn't that a little… much? I mean, calling the pianist a bum?"

Makoto crossed her arms, thinking about what she said. "Well… maybe it is a little much… but he does look like one."

"T-That true…"

"I don't think it's a coincidence." Ritsuko shifted herself, leaned against the table towards the Producer, and whispered to him with her hand at the side of her mouth. "Maybe we should have a word with him. Who knows… he could be one that Shachou is looking for."

The Producer paused, pondering whether he should walk up to Akimoto or not, but Ritsuko had a good point. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence. Perhaps, it was fate. That or Ritsuko was too much into the suspense. "…Hmm. I guess I can go talk to him."

Ritsuko uttered a light chuckle. "You actually thought I was serious? It's like Makoto said. He looks like a bum. He may be good at the piano but does he look like the kind of person to produce an idol?"

"What are you talking about?" Haruka whispered, intruding into the conversation.

Ritsuko and the Producer, disturbed by Haruka's sudden entrance, leaned away from each other and from Haruka.

"H-Hey! What did I say about eavesdropping?" the Producer said, his voice loud enough to be heard from nearby customers.

"Ah! I'm sorry! It's just that you and Ritsuko-san looked so serious." Haruka, placing a hand behind her head, and laughed nervously.

The Producer gave a quick glance and reply to Ritsuko. "You do have a point on that last comment of yours."

Haruka stood up from her chair, interrupting their conversation. "Sorry, Producer-san! But I need to use the restroom! So I'll be right bac—wah!" Tripping over her foot, she fell to the floor with a thud.

The scene was not left unnoticed for the customers and staff turned their attention to Haruka. Even the pianist, Akimoto, stopped playing and directed his eyes to her.

The Producer and the girls slid off from their seats, and looked at the Haruka worriedly, fearing that she may have gotten hurt. As Haruka sat up and rubbed her elbow, the Producer knelt down and tended to her. "Haruka! Are you okay?"

Haruka twitched slightly in pain, but managed to glance up at the Producer with an expression of embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry, Producer-san. I seemed to have tripped over again! But don't worry I'm okay!" Though she was abashed, she still smiled graciously and laughed.

The Producer sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Here, let me help you up." Smiling in return, he extended a hand towards Haruka.

Gently, Haruka took the Producer's hand, and was being pulled off from the floor. "Thank you, Producer-san!"

"Clumsy as always, right Haruka?" Ritsuko said, teasing her.

Haruka laughed nervously. "Y-Yeah…" she said, softly jabbing her head and sticking her tongue out, still embarrassed by the mishap.

Akimoto examined the situation, and realized that the dilemma had been solved. With a casual smile, he returned towards playing the piano, and continued where he left off. Like him, the customers and staff were relieved that Haruka made a quick recovery, so they switched their attention back to the pianist.

The Producer, though he had his attention to Haruka, already knew that Akimoto had been watching them the entire time. He became curiously interested in Akimoto. To gather more information, he called over the waiter that delivered the announcement, right after Haruka left to the restroom.

"Hey! Don't mean to be rude, but is it okay if I ask a question or two about the pianist?"

The waiter smiled generously, and nodded. "Certainly! What are your questions?"

* * *

><p>Kamei Akimoto, a pianist and mechanic. When people first meet him, he seemed to be the kind of man who cannot take responsibility seriously and barely have any skill. People would be doubtful about his ability to do complete anything simple due to his casual appearance and rarely changing expressions. However, this pre-set point of view changed over time.<p>

Whenever Kamei was seen in certain places around Tokyo, he would always wear those black loose jeans, a yellow ribbon tied around the waist, like a belt, an anti-white t-shirt underneath that bondi blue zipped vest, and those simple brown slip-on shoes. He had a few accessories such as two auburn red bands around his wrists and his all-time favorite, Amaterasu hat, seen much more than his casual wear.

He looked like a bum… well more like a clean bum as his black hair was not oily and tangled, his skin was not covered by clumps of dead skin cells, and his breath did not whiff the putrid stench of the docks near the ocean. Even his clothes still had that fresh scent from being recently removed the dryer.

People also thought he did not sleep. But if they were to just gaze deeply into those serene Mayu blue eyes, they would realize that he was simply calm and relaxed. He always greeted the people he meets with that certain smile of his, the kind of smile that does not frown for anything, whether the situation is light or extreme.

* * *

><p>With all the information told by the waiter, the Producer rose from his chair and approached the pianist. At the exact moment of reaching the piano, the song ended with a slow but beautiful melody.<p>

"Excuse me… Akimoto-san?" When Akimoto glanced up at him, the Producer continued. "I am not sure if you remember me but we met at the television studio?"

Kamei Akimoto paused with a puzzled expression, unsure about meeting a man in a business suit. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The Producer's eyes widened slightly and his mouth parted, surprised that Akimoto did not recognize him. "You don't remember me at all?"

Kamei paused again, looking away slightly with the same expression. When he thought about the most recent memory about the Producer, his mind immediately turned blank. Returning his glance to the Producer, he smiled casually. "Not really."

"U-Um…" The Producer became awkwardly silent. He wanted to say something but no words came out of his mouth except for ums and ahs. Nothing formulated in his mind, and the silent between them only became more awkward, for the Producer that is.

"Do you have any business with me?" Kamei asked, with his tone bland and unenthusiastic.

"N-No… Well…" The Producer fell silent again, looking away from Kamei's stare and scratching his head. He managed to say something, at last, but these were not the words he had expected. Hoping to keep the conversation alive, he thought about Kamei's musical talent, and looked back at him with a polite smile. "Your piano skills are impressive."

Kamei immediately chuckled. "You're just being polite. Quite honestly, I suck."

The Producer repeated that last sentence in his mind. _Quite honestly, I suck? _He knew this was false but why did Kamei make a contradicting claim? Though that was already another fact the Producer had learned about him. Kamei, indeed, made some mistakes in the song but he still performed amazingly.

"Are you making fun of me?"

Kamei abandoned his smile and looked away with his usual expression. "Not really. I'm just saying I don't play the piano very well."

"I see through your false guise, Mr. Akimoto. You're such a poor liar."

Turning to the Producer, Kamei unleashed a hearted laughter, which caught him off guard. "You're not the only one."

Kamei's claim made the Producer confused. "Eh? What do you mean?"

"I remember you very well." Kamei unveiled a casual, but truly pleasant smile and stared straight into the Producer's eyes. "The weird perverted business man."

The Producer was shocked and offended by Kamei's statement. "H-Hey! I'm not perverted!"

"Oh really? Well, the way you looked while embracing the cool air, as if it was a woman, seemed perverted." Kamei retorted.

Remembering that exact moment, the Producer hesitated with his cheeks flushed a rosy red. "T-That's not how it went!" he yelled, his voice a bit shaken up.

"…I think that's how it went _exactly_," Kamei said, looking away.

The Producer examined Kamei's smile, and realized that it was true after all. "You _are_ poking fun at me!"

Kamei huffed laughter of enjoyment. "Ah ha ha ha! You do know how to put on a face!"

The Producer was no longer embarrassed, but irritated. He did not want to speak to Kamei anymore, not after being… supposedly, humiliated. As he was about to turn away and returned to Ritsuko and the girls, he was interrupted by a sudden change within the atmosphere between him and Kamei

"Forgive me, Producer of 765 Productions," Kamei said, speaking in a casual, but morosely tone. "I never intended to hurt your feelings."

At first, the Producer thought Kamei was still insulting him until he listened to the way he expressed his apology. No longer aggravated, he turned back to Kamei. "So you _do_ know me."

Kamei reservedly smiled, and nodded. "Not just you, but also the young loud empress you were with."

The Producer followed his eyes and looked at Ritsuko. "…Empress?"

"The truth is…" Kamei stopped briefly to look away, while showing his dumbfounded expression again. "Everywhere I go, it's nothing but boredom. It's just the same routine I see in the streets, so much seriousness. It puts me to sleep sometimes when it's nothing but work. Everyone seemed to have forgotten what is was like to have fun, to enjoy what you love to do."

There was much to process in the Producer's mind, but there was one thing he agreed on. He believed it was true that it was nothing but serious business, however, that's how the world revolved. One does not do his or her job then he or she lose it but what's the use of having a job if one does not enjoy it?

"Well, that's how I see in some of the people of our beloved country." Kamei switched his gaze to the piano, and cracked his neck, tilting his head side to side. "Anyways, you've taken enough time from me, and I must return to my performance. Oh, and I'm sorry for being rude just now."

The Producer smiled, and waved his hand for assurance. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm sorry to bother you." With that said, he bowed, and returned to his table.

Before the Producer took a step off the stage, he was interrupted by Kamei. "Oh, and one more thing…"

"Hm?" the Producer turned in wonder, looking at him.

"I saw your production company's help wanted posters…" Kamei continued, talking to the Producer, even though he was still face the piano. "It seemed to me that you are having issues in your company." He lowered his head until the shadows covered his eyes. "Whoever you are searching for… he or she may be closer than you think."

There was something the Producer cannot seem to ignore, something about Kamei. It was the kind of feeling from his gut, like a sixth sense. When the Producer examined his face, he noticed how Kamei appeared, looking like an ordinary man with problems. But deep down, he felt something about him… The Producer had the urge to grab that feeling and make it part of 765 Pro.

_Is this how Shachou determined my capability as a Producer? Is this how he determined Ritsuko and our idols? Trusting in his sixth sense and believing that I will do a good job?_ The Producer was not sure and could not decide on what action to take. Instead, he shook off the feeling. _Impossible… it won't work as it's not that simple. There are other people who can also do a good job like me, Ritsuko, and the girls. Rather, I don't know. I've never felt like this before… No, I'm thinking about this way too seriously. _

Kamei had been watching the Producer remaining still in the middle of the stage, like a fool. But his foolishness was not what Kamei noticed. He could not ignore that the Producer was really deep in thought, and struggling about something. To help him out, Kamei spoke to him, while playing another song.

"If you have something on your mind, think about the best outcomes, and go with it."

The Producer, having heard the advice, broke from his train of thought and looked at Kamei in awe. Taking his word, the Producer left the stage.

While sitting with Ritsuko, Haruka, Makoto, and Yukiho, he thought about Kamei's advice. _Think about the best outcomes, and go with it._

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If there are errors, please let me know so that I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	5. Chapter 4 An Unexpected Appearance

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game THE iDOLMSTER is the property of outside companies and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There will be a reference from one of the episodes of THE iDOLMSTER anime. Those who had seen the episode should be able to recognize it immediately. If you're interested to know when the rest of the idols will show up then I will inform you. They _will_ appear in the upcoming chapters of this fanfic. Just remain patient. All of your questions shall be answered in time.

**Note(s): **Itadakimasu - "Let's eat; Thank you for the meal; I humbly receive; etc."

Konnichiwa - "Hello during the afternoon; Good Afternoon."

Shachou - "President."

Again, **horizontal rulers** will represent transitions, or scene changes.

These are some of the same notes. I've left them here, in case you may have forgotten the meaning.

Without further ado, here is the fourth chapter. Enjoy.

**Chapter 4 An Unexpected Appearance**

Days had passed since the Producer's encounter with the man behind the piano, Kamei Akimoto. The Producer tried not contemplating much about what Kamei had said to him midst the short time span. But when he did, especially during the evening, the memory of that event would persist in his mind for hours until he fell asleep. Eventually, he managed to stop thinking about it for the memory would become a distraction towards his work.

Today was a bustling course for everyone working in 765 Pro, for they were all running on a tight schedule.

Right now, the producers are at break, even though it's not considered one. Instead of relaxing and consuming their lunch, the producers are reviewing an assemblage of employment forms on their desks. The process was incredibly excessive that even the office clerk, Kotori Otonashi, had to offer her assistance.

"Ugh… this is so troublesome!" Ritsuko complained, grabbing her head out of frustration.

The Producer sighed, feeling the same irritation as Ritsuko. "At least we're almost done." Refocusing on his desk, he continued to analyze the remaining applications.

Kotori glanced at Ritsuko. "Hey, Ritsuko-san! What are your thoughts about these young applicants?"

Ritsuko straightened herself before returning Kotori's glance. "I don't think these guys have what it takes to be a co-producer." She sighed, and revealed a distasteful expression. "Some of them look perverted! What are they trying to achieve?" she yelled, her voice rising with exaggeration.

Kotori smiled, and giggled lightly. "Ritsuko-san sounds very mad."

"You bet I am!" Ritsuko shot the forms down on her desk. "At this rate, we'll never find the guy that Shachou is looking for!"

The Producer shifted his attention to Ritsuko. "Let's just finish this before our break is up."

Ritsuko hang her head down, and groaned. "Right… We still have a schedule to follow." She raised her head, and leaned back on the chair. "We're really underhanded with staff."

Ritsuko's words rung true. The production company struggled to remain in business until the arrival of the Producer. He had become the savior of 765 Pro. But that was two years ago. Now, the company needed a new savior. Otherwise, the company will definitely collapse and everyone will be fired, an expectation that everyone was not fond of.

As the Producer was just about to complete checking his pile of employment forms, he discovered one certain application that immediately drew his attention. The application had a photo of a man with a recognizable face, and information with a familiar name.

When he examined these important anomalies, his eyes widened, and memories started to fill his mind in a flash. "It's him… Kamei Akimoto," he whispered.

Ritsuko and Kotori, having heard the Producer's mumbling, gazed at him, believing that he was speaking to them. "What was that, Producer-san?" Kotori asked.

"Ritsuko…" The Producer twirled the paper towards her.

Adjusting her glasses, Ritsuko leaned forward to look at what the Producer is presenting. The first thing she eyed on was the photo. Like him, she became surprised. "It's the man behind the piano!"

Kotori cocked her head to the side in wonder. "Who?"

The Producer pulled the paper away and tossed it on his desk, before switching his gaze to Kotori. "Kamei Akimoto. We've met him at a family restaurant a couple of days ago."

Ritsuko crossed her arms. "So, he actually applied." Smiling, she swept the right side of her hair with a hand. "I doubt he will get the job." She had the look of an arrogant, unwavering woman.

"Who knows…" the Producer said, examining the information written on Kamei's application. "Maybe, you're right."

Kotori lifted her wrist and looked at her watch to check the time. Surprised, her eyes quickly dilated. "Ah! It's 4:00pm!"

Like her, the producers became stunned, jumping up from their rotating chairs. "Already?" the Producer exclaimed.

"Oh no! I have an audition to attend with my unit!" Ritsuko said, her voice, loud and anxious.

"Darn it! I need to go to the television studio for a commercial run with _my _unit!" The Producer was just as distressed as Ritsuko. Hastily, the Producer put on his black coat, buttoned it, and, together with Ritsuko, left the room.

When the producers left through that door, they passed by a man, who had stepped to the side to allow them passage. They did not have to time to take a quick glance at his face as they were in a hurry. But they still managed to utter a quick informal, "Excuse me," before turning and rushing down the stairs.

"Those two are hasty…" The man then turned back towards the direction he faced earlier, and entered through the door that the producers forgot to close.

* * *

><p>Kotori examined the application that the producers were hassling about. The name was unknown to her but the man's identification photo was not. The man looked very familiar, as if she had seen him before. "How mysterious… Akimoto Kamei, was it?"<p>

Having heard his name, the man, Kamei, approached Kotori. "That, indeed, is my name, young lady," the Kamei said, smiling casually.

"Eep!" Kotori quickly jumped, frightened by the sudden voice that sounded from behind. She thought she was alone, and had no idea that someone had been watching her the entire time. Jerking her body, she quickly turned to gaze at the man, with her eyes slightly shuddering.

"Oh, I didn't mean to frighten you," Kamei said with a calm tone. "I'm sorry."

Realizing that it was a man, she sighed in relief, and presented a smile of embarrassment. "D-Don't worry about it, sir! It was just so sudden!" She started to laugh nervously.

Kamei paused, and looked away slightly with a dumbfounded expression. Something that Kotori said affected his demeanor. "Sir? Am I that old?"

As Kamei continued, unaware that he is being watched, Kotori regained her composure. She was just glad the man was not a ghost.

There was something that Kotori happened to notice. She first looked at Kamei's face then at the photo, and recognized a resemblance. Surprised, she shifted her view back to Kamei and pointed a finger at him. "Wait! You're Kamei Akimoto, aren't you?"

Kamei remained silent for a moment, before looking at Kotori with a casual, but pleasant grin. "Am I? You should run some tests to make sure I'm this 'Kamei' you say I am."

Kotori fell into Kamei's trap, and must formulate some sort of question. "U-Um…" But she hesitated, not knowing what to ask him. The only thing she can think of is the certain title that the producers refer to him as. "Are… Are you the man behind the piano?"

"Hey, you're good," Kamei said, his voice tinted with enthusiasm.

Thinking she had gotten the right question to ask, Kotori praised herself. "I knew it!" She was oblivious, forgetting that she knew Kamei's identity the entire time. It was the way Kamei drew her into his little game, only moments later had she remembered. "Wait a minute! I've known that already!"

Kamei shifted his gaze away with a dumbfounded expression again. "Calm down. Getting frustrated over something so small is not good for your health." He briefly closed his eyes, remembering the reason why he was here. "Anyways, I'm not here to joke around."

"Eh?" Kotori glanced at him curiously. "Then… do you have any business with us?"

"In a sense… yes." Kamei looked at her with his calm and relaxed eyes. "I have an important matter to attend to with your President."

"Important matter?" Kotori paused, tilting her head in wonder. She had no idea what he was talking about until she remembered the application. "Oh! That's right! You sent an employment form to us."

Kamei turned his eyes away. "Hm? I don't remember that…"

Kotori instantly saw through his deception. _He's not a good liar, is he?_

"Anways, that's not what I am here for, exactly. It's something unrelated," he said, smiling casually at her.

Kotori hid her doubt with a smile. _I think he's just desperate for the job… _Suddenly, another memory peered into her mind. _W-Wait a minute… I think I remember him. _She believed Kamei had visited the production company in the past, but was not too sure about until she examined his hat.

"Ah! You're also the guy who fixed our air conditioner!" Kotori shouted, pointing a finger at him again. Her voice was loud enough to make Kamei twitch.

"…Hmm. I don't remember that either," Kamei said, trying to make sense of her claim. Thinking about it now, he then recalled a memory. "Actually… I do remember glimpses about this place."

It was almost two years ago. The summer day had been extremely torturous with its humid temperature. The air conditioner was broken, leaving nothing but a fan.

The Producer bought them ice cream but it was not enough to diminish the heat. In response, the producers and the idols journeyed to the beach. The ocean waves and the cool breeze… It was the perfect time of the year to relax there.

The only ones stuck in the production company with its blazing heat were President Takagi and Kotori Otonashi. They could not leave the company unattended. As a result, they continued their work.

Kotori phoned a repairman named Kamei. He arrived to fix the air conditioner while the producers and the idols were absent. It was this memory that they both shared.

"Yes, I remember now," Kamei said, unveiling a pleasant grin. "You're that daydreaming office clerk, Otonashi Kotori."

"D-Daydreaming…?" Kotori started to think to herself. _Oh no! He knows! _She was shocked that Kamei knew about her habit of daydreaming fantasies. To hide her flustered, rosy red face, she placed on a nervous smile. "I-I have no idea w-what you're talking about!"

Kamei looked away with his dumbfounded expression. "I sometimes don't know what I'm talking about either." Switching his gaze back to Kotori, he smiled again, and uttered a hearted chuckle.

_M-Maybe he doesn't know after all… _Thinking that the atmosphere changed, Kotori placed a hand on her chest and sighed in alleviation.

The office became silent, for just a brief moment, until a man in a brown business suit appeared from behind. "What is with all the hearted laughter?" the man interrupted with an earnest tone.

Kamei and Kotori turned to look at the man. Only Kotori recognized him, leaving Kamei oblivious. With a smile, she greeted the man. "Oh, Shachou! What are you doing here?"

The man, President Takagi, returned the smile with a light, warm, chuckle. "I decided to take a break from all the paperwork and pay a little visit." His smile vanished, realizing that the room seemed very spacious. "Oh? Where have Ritsuko-kun and the Producer disappeared to?"

"Ritsuko-san and Producer-san had to attend auditions with their idol units," Kotori explained.

"Oh dear… Then I have just missed them a few minutes late." President Takagi sighed in sorrow. "I had something to discuss with them… maybe later then." He then turned to Kamei and became puzzled. "Oh? I don't recognize you as one of my staff. Who might you be?"

Kamei placed his hands into his vest pockets, and bequeathed a casual, heartwarming smile. "My name is Kamei Akimoto. I'm the guy who fixed you're A/C a few years ago."

"Ah! That's right! You're that funny mechanic!" President Takagi's body started to bounce up and down rhythmically with his chuckle. "What brings you here, my friend?"

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Shachou," Kamei said with a nod. "I am here to talk about the renovations."

"Ooooh!" President Takagi sung eagerly. "If that's the case then please, follow me to my office!"

Kotori became startled by President Takagi's sudden attitude, and immediately stopped them from leaving the office. "Renovations? B-But Shachou! You can't just—!"

"Settle down, Otonashi-kun," President Takagi insisted. "Allow me to handle this, personally."

"B-But…" Kotori paused when President Takagi gave her a certain look. "Okay, Shachou…" She nodded, returning to her work with the pile of employment forms.

President Takagi shifted his glance back to Kamei. "Now then… shall we proceed to my office?"

Kamei closed his eyes briefly, and casually smiled once more. "Lead the way, Shachou." With President Takagi, Kamei departed from the room, leaving Kotori by herself.

When the door closed, she sighed and hung her head down slightly. "Geez… Shachou tends to be too friendly sometimes. But more importantly…"

Remembering her first encounter with Kamei, Kotori quickly kicked the thought out of her mind. The memory was during the time when she was daydreaming and Kamei was watching her the entire time. _Don't… Don't do that, Kotori! _Her body jerked around as she shook her head.

There was something else that she descried, which made her sigh like a timid girl. "Why am I alone now…?"

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If there are any errors, please let me know so that I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	6. Chapter 5 Welcome CoProducer

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game THE iDOLMSTER is the property of outside companies and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There will be a few references from one of the episodes of THE iDOLMSTER anime, but slightly modified and shortened. Those who had seen the episode should be able to recognize it immediately.

**Note(s): **Itadakimasu - "Let's eat; Thank you for the meal; I humbly receive; etc."

Konnichiwa - "Hello during the afternoon; Good Afternoon."

Shachou - "President."

Ryuuguu Komachi - _"__Beauty and the Dragon King's Palace"_

**Horizontal rulers** will represent transitions, or scene changes.

These are some of the same notes. I've left them here, in case you may have forgotten the meaning.

Without further ado, let the fifth chapter commence. Enjoy.

**Chapter 5 Welcome, Co-Producer**

One of the best weekends had just arrived. It was Saturday. This would be the time for everyone to be free from work or school, to relax. But time was against the producers and the rest of the members of 765 Pro for they have yet another busy schedule in their agenda.

"Takane! Are you almost ready with your bags?" the Producer asked in a hasty manner.

The young woman that the Producer was referring to, Takane, turned to him. "I am almost finished packing," she said in a refine and gentle tone.

Takane Shijou, a graceful and wise young woman that worked in 765 Pro. She was part of the Producer's successful idol unit, Project Viola. With her ghost white hair, reaching down to her lumbar, and her Fandango and Tyrian purple eyes, she looked beautifully majestic as a ballerina.

"Please hurry. As soon as the meeting is over, we're leaving for the concert."

The Producer shifted his glance to two young girls that are sitting on the couch, playing a multiplayer game on their PSPs.

The two girls were Ami and Mami, also known as the Futami twins. They both had raw umber brown hair and eyes, and wore matching clothes. Young and immature, they loved to pull pranks and to play video games during their free time. The only physical difference between them was that Mami's ponytail was longer while Ami's ponytail was shorter. Unlike Mami, Ami is part of Ritsuko's idol unit, Ryuuguu Komachi.

They seemed to be enjoying themselves until the Producer interrupted their fun. "Ami! Mami! What are you doing? Now is not the time to play games!" His voice tinted slightly with anger.

Ami and Mami became startled, and glanced up at him. "But, Nii-chan! I barely spend time with Ami anymore!" Mami said in a pitiful-like tone and pouty appearance.

"I barely had any fun with Mami!" Ami added, using the same tone and expression as her twin.

"I'm sorry but we don't we don't have time." The Producer focused his attention to Mami. "Now, please finish packing. The sooner, the better."

"But, Nii-chan…" Her sentence faded when the Producer immediately stared down at her, she simply lowered head and nodded. "Okay…" she said reluctantly.

Ami looked at her sister in sorrow. She wanted to say something, but no words formed from her mouth.

The Producer switched his glance to Ami. "That means you, too. Ritsuko may not be here right now, but that doesn't mean you can slack off."

"O-Okay… Sorry, Nii-chan." Like her sister, Ami looked depressed.

Takane, having noticed the Producer's odd behavior, approached them. "Producer. Are you not being too strict with them?"

The Producer sighed. "I'm sorry, Takane. It's just that the schedule is preventing us any free movement."

As the Producer was about to continue, he was immediately interrupted by a feminine voice. "Sorry, we're late!"

The Producer turned to where the voice originated, and looked at a woman, much shorter than him. Recognizing who she is, he sighed in relief. "Oh, Ritsuko. How was the audition?" He became slightly relaxed, now that she was here.

Ritsuko exhaled a heavy breathing depression. "It could've gone better…"

Walking past the producers were three girls. One of them looked extremely exhausted while the other two girls seemed very entranced in reading a magazine article that one of them was holding.

They were approaching a door in front of them that led into a small living room, similar to the one where Ami and Mami were.

The producers turned, and were about to speak with the three girls but instead were interrupted by an abrupt scream, coming from a room adjacent to them. Surprised by the sudden uproar, the producers and the three girls turned around, wondering what the ruckus was about.

* * *

><p>The noise was originating from the small kitchen. Inside, there were six young girls. Two of them, were hesitating and jerking their bodies uncontrollably, looking as if they were trying to keep their feet from touching the floor.<p>

"W-Where? Where's the cockroach?" one of the girls, Makoto, shouted loudly, darting her eyes all over the floor.

"No! Get it away!" the second girl, Yukiho, squealed, hopping and revolving in place multiple times while holding a platter of teacups.

One of the girls, Haruka, that was observing, hastily approached them. "M-Makoto! Yukiho! Please calm down! What's going on?"

Makoto securely wrapped her body with her arms, and started stomping the floor like housewife afraid of a little mouse. "N-No time! Quick, Haruka! Get the cockroach out of here!"

Haruka paused for a quick moment to process the situation into her head. As soon as she thought of the word "cockroach," she began to hesitate and squirm as well. "N-No! Anything but that!"

Haruka turned around and tried to escape from the kitchen, but she accidently collided into Yukiho. The platter that Yukiho was holding onto flew out from her hands and into the air. When they fell down, the teacups crashed into the floor and shattered into small fragments.

"O-Ow… Yukiho, are you all right?" Haruka asked, rubbing her bosom gently.

Yukiho slowly nodded, while trying to recuperate. "Y-Yeah. Are you?"

Haruka smiled embarrassingly. "Yeah," she said, returning the nod.

Makoto, still affected by her fear of insects, interrupted their heartwarming conversation. "Haruka! Yukiho! Don't just sit there! Get rid of the cockroach!"

In a flash, they instantly remembered the reason for their accident, and recommenced with their episode alongside Makoto.

Due to the ongoing uproar, the producers, the Futami Twins, Takane Shijou, and four other girls entered the kitchen to find the source of the problem.

"W-What's with all the noise about?" the Producer asked. He was slightly aggravated.

One of the girls rubbed her eyes, and yawned. "Afu… It's so noisy. How can Miki sleep with all this noise?"

This sleepy young girl was Miki Hoshii. She had always liked to perform her duties as an idol at her own pace, but often falls asleep. Her long flavescent yellow hair was really fine, inclining any man to stroke and feel its softness, and her lime green eyes were very ravishing that anyone staring at them would be lost in ecstasy. Despite her young age, she had the beauty of a goddess.

"Oh my. I wonder what's causing this ruckus," the mature-looking young woman said in a soft, alluring tone.

Azusa Miura, a light-headed and slow-paced young woman, and part of Ritsuko's successful idol unit. Due to her short midnight blue hair, she had an appearance of a young high school student. She was also quite charming with her warm, starry magenta eyes, and during situations where she becomes embarrassed with a blush.

"This commotion will do us no good if we're trying to concentration on our next song," another girl said in a reserved tone.

Standing next to Azusa was the cool and serious girl, Chihaya Kisaragi. Young and successful, and with the voice of an angel, she had achieved widespread popularity for being one of 765 Pro's best idols and soloist. With her long, straight, federal blue hair and mature, bole brown eyes, she had the appearance of passionate and beautiful vocalist.

The last girl scrunched her way through the bodies that were gathered at the front of the door, and appeared next to the Producer. "I'm sorry. Please, excuse me," she said to him before rushing to the three girls. "Makoto-san! Haruka-san! Yukiho-san! What happened?"

This girl, Yayoi Takatsuki, was a positive and energetic one, always giving her all two hundred percent. Like Takane and Mami, she is part of Project Viola. With her chestnut brown hair in springy pigtails, her baby blue eyes, and short stature, she is the second adorable idol in her unit.

"I-I can't… take it anymore!" With her face covered in sadness, Yukiho pulled a shovel that was tucked under the sink, and slowly began to drag her body like a zombie, proceeding to dug a hole. This was one of Yukiho's habitual behaviors when her fear reached a certain limit.

Haruka broke from her distress the moment she noticed Yukiho's mannerism. "Y-Yukiho! Calm down!"

Yayoi joined Haruka's effort to bring Yukiho back to reality. "Yukiho-san! Don't! You can't dig a hole here! Please, come back to us!"

There was another girl, at the corner where the wall and the sink meet, who had an issue of her own. The feisty, yet friendly girl is Hibiki Ganaha. She is just as energetic as Yayoi. With her black-purple taupe colored hair tied in a very long ponytail, her cornflower blue eyes, and soft tan skin, she was that of an Okinawan inhabitant.

"Hamuzou! I'm sorry for eating your food again! Please come out!" Hibiki begged in teary, apologetic manner.

She seemed much focused on trying to convince her little pet hamster, Hamuzou, to emerge from its hiding place till the moment she heard the word, cockroach. Thinking that her friends had mistaken her pet as an insect, she stood up to her feet and switched her glare to the three girls.

"Hey! How many times do I have to tell you? Hamuzou is a hamster!" Hibiki exclaimed angrily.

The three girls paused, and looked at her in confusion. "Hamuzou?"

Haruka covered her mouth, and gasped. "T-That's right! I was helping Hibiki in getting Hamuzou!" Haruka laughed nervously.

To most girls, a roach is a common fear, and one of the girls in the kitchen utilized that weakness for her mischievous plan to scare Makoto, Yukiho, and even Haruka. Her name was Iori Minase, a young, adorable, yet rather snobbish girl, who was also part of Ritsuko's unit. With her Chamoisee brown long hair and red-violet eyes, she had the appearance of an innocent little princess.

"Nihihi~ I got all three of you at one time," Iori exclaimed proudly with an amused expression on her face. "Hook, line, and sinker!"

When Makoto realized Iori's plot, she turned to her and slammed her hands onto the table. "Hey! Iori! You did it again!" she yelled, her voice tinted with anger.

"Only a fool… no wait, three fools would fall for that!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Iori became irritated by Makoto's shouting. "W-What's your problem?"

Makoto and Iori entered an intense staring contest, uttering growling noises at each other.

The competition continued until it was interrupted by a hearted chuckle, originating from behind the producers and the other girls at the door.

"Ho, ho, ho~ Quite a lively atmosphere!"

Everyone turned, and focused their attention to the man in the brown business suit. Realizing that the man was none other than President Takagi, they stuttered in surprise.

"S-Shachou!" they said in perfect synch.

"Now that everyone is paying attention…" President Takagi cleared his throat. "Ahem… Everyone, I have good news and bad news."

* * *

><p>Before long, everyone had gathered in the meeting section between President Takagi's office and the second living room. The entire production company was scrunched together in one room in the third floor of the building.<p>

"Everyone, please listen up..." President Takagi cleared his throat before he continued. "I have some news for you all. As you all know… we are a small production company. However, thanks to the Producer and Ritsuko-kun's success within the past two years, all of that is going to change. The project I've been working on has finally been confirmed."

As President Takagi was about to announce his project, Chihaya raised her hand. "Shachou, May I ask what this project is about? And is there any relevance towards our career?"

"Ah yes. I was just about to get to it. One of the floors of this building had recently become vacant, so this is where my project comes into play. With all the funds we've managed to obtained, I've bought the rights for the floor to become part of our company. In other words, 765 Pro is finally going to expand."

When the idols processed President Takagi's announcement into their minds, a series of noisy appraisals filled the entire room.

"For starters," President Takagi continued, "We are going to add our own dance studio."

As soon as they heard the details, the idols offered more appraisals to President Takagi and his project. Even though the producers and Kotori had already known about it, they could not help but to smile and join in with the praising.

President Takagi cleared his throat, attracting everyone's immediate attention. "The bad news is… we have yet to hire a full team to initiate the renovations… Luckily, we have one that will be working on that project."

Curious, everyone wondered who this mysterious construction worker could be. Once again, the room became filled with noise.

"Everyone please! I know all of you are excited, but settle down," President Takagi said. "Anyways, the man who will be working on the project is a good friend of mine."

Makoto turned to Haruka, Yukiho, Hibiki, and Yayoi with an assumption. "Hey, could it be Yoshizawa-san?" she whispered.

Hibiki turned to her and shrugged. "Who knows..." she said, keeping her voice down.

"Makoto, what made you think of that?" Haruka asked.

Makoto paused for a moment, thinking of a reason why she thought of that man. Unfortunately, she could not formulate a sound purpose, therefore she shook her head. "To be honest, I don't know. I mean, we've realized that he's a real reporter a long time ago."

Hibiki smiled, and uttered a quiet chuckle. "Hee hee. Again, who knows… He might really be the guy who's going to fix up the company."

The four girls conversed with each other until they were interrupted by a stern cough that came from President Takagi. "Ladies, if you have something to share then please, be my guest."

They turned to him in surprise and became silent, until Haruka spoke. "Oh, Shachou! It's nothing really." She was smiling and waving her arms nervously. "Ehehehe…"

Yukiho looked at President Takagi with a saddened expression. "Sorry for being rude. Please, continue."

"Ah, well… It's okay. Just pay attention. This is important."

The four girls nodded. "Yes, Shachou!" they replied in unison.

President Takagi paused, having lost his train of thought. "Now then… where was I? Remaining quiet, he began to contemplate. "Oh, that's right! I would like to introduce to you a good friend."

He shifted his body slightly and placed a hand next to his mouth, looking like he was about to call someone. "You can reveal yourself now!"

Walking out of the shadows from the small hallway was the man with the Amaterasu hat, Kamei Akimoto. With his hands inside his pockets and a casual smile, he approached the group and stood next to President Takagi.

Everyone glanced at Kamei, and then the room momentarily became silent. Suddenly, the producers, Haruka, Makoto, and Yukiho widened their eyes in bewilderment and uttered a loud noise.

"Eeeeeh?" the producers and the three girls yelled loudly, their voices rising like an airplane's turbines increasing in ferocity.

"Those are some lungs," Kamei said, his tone of voice calm and relaxed. "It's no wonder you're big shots in music."

Haruka waved her hand to catch his attention. "A-Akimoto-san! What are you doing here?"

"I'm the guy who's going to turn this company into something big," Kamei replied, returning the glance with his own.

Ritsuko looked at Kamei, with her glasses in a disorderly fashion."A-Akimoto-dono? You're the one who's going to build the studio?"

Kamei turned eyes away with an oblivious expression. "…More or less. Anything wrong with that?"

"N-No, not really. It just surprised me," Ritsuko stuttered, finally adjusting her glasses.

Kamei returned the look, and nonchalantly smiled. "I'm full of surprises, like a box without a label… if that makes any sense."

"Now that we're somewhat acquainted… onward to the final piece of news." President Takagi again cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, we are unable to renew the documentary interview that the Producer conducted a long time ago. Therefore, it will take some time for the co-producer to get to know you all."

Kamei placed his hand on President Takagi's shoulder. "Don't worry about that, Shachou," he said, switching his gaze to the girls. "I'm sure your co-producer will definitely get along with your idols just fine."

President Takagi looked at him. "Oho! You're quite humble, Akimoto-kun!" he said with a whole hearted, jolly chuckle, before glancing back to the idols. "As I was saying… the long-awaited co-producer will finally appear at our 765 Pro."

As soon as they heard this, the idols sounded a small cheer of excitement. Keeping their eager eyes on President Takagi, they impatiently waited for him to continue his announcement.

President Takagi smiled, happy that the girls and even the producers were very eager. "The Producer saved us once. Now it is the co-producer's turn to make a difference."

The producers and the girls focused their eyes on President Takagi, and waited anxiously. But no words escaped from his mouth, not even a mumble. The only expression on his face was a pleased smile.

Having noticed the awkward silence, Yukiho raised her hand slightly. "U-Um… Shachou? Who's our co-producer?" she asked with a soft voice.

President Takagi chuckled. "Why… he is standing right in front of you!"

The room became silent again until it was replaced by a loud uproar and exactly like the first time. "Eeeeeh?" the producers and the girls uttered loudly in perfect synch.

Kamei had his head down and his eyes covered by the shadows, until he casually smiled and gazed at them with his calm and relaxed eyes. "Heya. Nice to meet you."

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If you suspect errors of any type, please inform me so I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	7. Chapter 6 Aggravating Ignorance

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There will be a song in this chapters that readers may find familar, especially those "fans" who had played THE iDOLMSTER 2, the game. The lyrics will remain in romanji format.

**Note(s):** I apologize for not updating for a short while. It's because of the lack of reviews. They are important, as they assist in improving writing skills, keeping protagonists and antagonists in "character," and the plot. Without reviews, I cannot upload any more chapters.

I've also done the best to my ability to keep the canon characters in "character," as in personality, behaviors, interests, etc. That is why I require you, the readers, to lend me your assistance**. **Notify me of the errors so that I will correct them. **  
><strong>

Let me know if there are some changes in Japanese honorifics, as neither man nor woman is perfect in initiating anything.

Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 6 Aggravating Ignorance**

It had not been long since Kamei's unanticipated debut in 765 Pro. Only a week had gone by. To President Takagi, he was a beacon of hope. But to others, some of them believe it was certainly a mistake. Just by his appearance, they had already given their utmost honest opinion about him.

Somewhere in the building of 765 Pro, there was the continuous sound of warm-up vocalization and instrumental orchestration. They were simultaneously forming a musical pattern of an arpeggio, one after another. Each time a sequence was completed another one takes its place at a slightly higher tone.

The basic, yet harmonious tune was originating from the small vocal room within the production company. Inside, there were three young female vocalists practicing their singing voices along with the piano being played by a man. Besides them, the room was cluttering with multiple instruments, tables, and chairs.

The girls wore athletic jackets and sweatpants, each matching to their image colors: Blue, Green, and Red. The one in the middle was Chihaya. She wore a suit with the shaded color of her hair. The one next to her left was Miki, who wore a lime green color. And the last girl in red, on the right, was Haruka.

The usual female instructor that President Takagi employed had not arrived at the company. Due to his skill and newly instated profession of co-producer, Kamei had no choice but to reluctantly cover for the instructor.

Kamei delighted in playing the piano but now that it was part of his job, it was very displeasing for him. The orchestration was deadening since the session was only vocal practice. He would rather compose an actual song.

_I'm getting bored… _Kamei thought, unintentionally bobbing his head in a fatigued manner. He was almost falling asleep. The only intriguing melody that was keeping him awake was the in-tune vocals of the young girls.

There were three sequences remaining, and the girls were about to vocalize again until the arpeggio converted into a completely different, yet familiar tune. The sudden alteration caused the girls to pause in confusion as he continued to play the Super Mario Bros. Overworld theme in piano version.

The girls slowly turned their heads and stared at him. Haruka and Miki were baffled before becoming overwhelmed by wonderful astonishment. The peppy and catchy tune stimulated them to bob their heads and tap their feet along with the rhythm, and with bright smiles.

However, only Chihaya remain puzzled. She could not formulate any reason as to why Kamei was not performing the arpeggio, and instead was orchestrating a video game medley. Eventually, she became slightly irritated by his ignorance.

"Kamei! What is the meaning of this?" Chihaya exclaimed. Her voice was blaring enough to interrupt Kamei's composition, and Haruka and Miki's line of dancing.

Kamei angled his head slightly and glanced at Chihaya. "Did I make a mistake in one of the cues?"

Chihaya positioned her hands on her hips and glared at him bitterly. "Mistake? We're supposed to be practicing!"

"That's what I'm doing…" he said.

She became more irritated. "No, Kamei. _We're _the ones practicing. You're supposed to be playing the piano for the instructor."

"…Hmm." Kamei shifted his eyes away momentarily, before looking back to Chihaya with a smile. "…Good point."

"Honestly…" Chihaya turned away and returned to her position with Haruka and Miki. Twirling, she looked at Kamei again.

Kamei murmured a chortle from his throat.

Although it was a light cackle, Chihaya still managed to perceive the irritating noise. "W-What's so funny?" she demanded, glaring at him icily.

"Oh, it's nothing," he replied, oblivious about her cold demeanor. "Try to lighten up a bit. Only amateurs would get worked up for something very little of value."

The way how Kamei expressed his words, made her nerves cringed. "A-Are you insulting me?"

Haruka, stunned by Chihaya's acrimonious behavior, quickly attempted to console the tension. "C-Chihaya-san, please calm down! I'm sure he didn't mean it like that!" she said in a slightly exaggerated tone.

Miki tilted her head slightly, pondering about Kamei's message. "Miki thinks that Kamei is being a little mean to Chihaya-san."

"Was I, really?" Kamei asked, scratching near his ear. "I guess I was a little harsh." He attempted to recall the moment he supposedly offended her, but the memory immediately departed from his mind.

"Um…" He paused again, trying to formulate an answer to relieve Chihaya of her anger. All he could verbalize was an apology. "…Sorry about that, Chihaya. Forget what I said earlier. I'll treat to you something nice when we're done," he said.

Haruka and Miki turned to Chihaya with smiles on the faces. "See, Chihaya-san? He was only kidding!" Haruka said, her heart filled with solace.

Miki nodded with Haruka's statement. "Kamei isn't so bad at all. He's a better bum than others Miki has seen."

Kamei lowered his head until the shadows covered his eyes, and formed a reserved grin. _There's that term again… _He was neither annoyed, nor did not feel any infliction for being called a bum, but the fact was on how often people consider him as one.

Chihaya glanced at him once more before jerking her head away in aversion. "Ku… Forget it. Let's just proceed to the end so we can attend to our recital."

"…Understood," Kamei replied.

With the short dilemma concluded, Kamei and the girls continued with their vocal practice. Like before, Kamei could not help but to bob his sleepy head throughout the tedious and redundant musical sequences.

* * *

><p>An hour had elapsed, and the vocal routine had nearly reached its conclusion.<p>

Chihaya, Haruka, and Miki were currently rehearsing a song. The piece that they were harmonizing was "My Song," with the accompaniment of Kamei playing the piano version.

Start kono My Life Song  
>watashi no utagoe de<br>dokomade mo hibike  
>Feel kanjiru mama<br>sukina MERODII de ii  
>sore wo kokoro to yobou<br>Stay kono My Love Song  
>EERU kureru hito yo<br>ai wo kome okurou  
>Shine kagayaite<br>nee shiawase are  
>ima ashita ga umareru<p>

As soon as they were about to finish, Kamei completely dozed off. His face bumped on the piano keys, and sounded an out of tune melody that alerted the girls. The abrupt changes of keys even woke Kamei from his short slumber in an instant.

"…I must've dozed off," Kamei said, raising his head off the piano. He was unaware that Haruka and Miki were giggling behind his back.

"That was a little funny," Haruka spoke softly to Miki.

Miki smiled, and waved her hand outward in a pistol shape. "But Kamei has the right idea!" Unable to restrain herself, she covered her mouth and yawned. "Afu… Miki's going to take a nap now."

Chihaya sighed in slight displeasure. She was discomposed that the song was rudely interrupted by Kamei's habit of falling asleep, and that she was unable to complete it. _In the end, he is not focused. What was Shachou thinking?_

She turned to Haruka and Miki with a stern expression. "Haruka, Miki, it's time that we attend to our recital now."

Haruka and Miki replied with a nod. Shifting to Kamei, they bowed in respect. "Thank you for your help."

Kamei turned his eyes away and placed on a nonchalant expression. "It's no big deal."

Chihaya stood her ground and remained silent, looking away from her co-producer. "…Let's go," she finally said.

With that, Haruka and Miki departed from the vocal room first, leaving Chihaya and Kamei. As Chihaya was about to excuse herself, Kamei stood up from his chair and approached her.

"Allow me to escort—"

"I am sorry, Kamei. We can handle it on our own. Please, avoid getting in our away," she immediately said, interrupting Kamei.

"…I see." Kamei, unfazed by her strict tone of voice, placed his hands into his pockets and smiled casually. "Have a safe trip, Chihaya."

Avoiding eye contact, Chihaya answered him with a silent nod, and walked out of the vocal room, closing the door behind her.

Now, Kamei was left alone. No longer having any business in his current location, he covered the piano with a drapery and exited the room. While walking down the stairs, he had a thought. _Well, that was a rough start… _

* * *

><p>A muffled chatter was emanating from the dressing room in the first floor of 765 Pro. Inside, the three girls that had left the vocal room, Chihaya, Haruka, and Miki, were changing into their casual outfits.<p>

"Chihaya-chan? Are you feeling all right?" Haruka asked, inserting an azure blue, shoulderless sleeved shirt over her head.

Chihaya turned to her. "Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well…" Haruka paused, and pulled the shirt down until her head emerged out from the collar. Sighing in relief, she smiled and proceeded to explain her reasoning. "Well, you were really angry about Akimoto-san earlier."

When she heard that name, Chihaya became agitated. Ceasing from placing on her white buttoned shirt, she turned her head away and shut her eyes, trying her best not to show her discontent expression. "Please, Haruka. I prefer not to recollect my thoughts about him," she said in her usual cool and serious tone.

Regardless, Haruka still managed to receive a glimpse of Chihaya's emotional distress about Kamei. In response, she withdrew her nosiness and said, "O-Oh. Sorry, Chihaya-san."

Chihaya slowly opened her eyes and gave Haruka a quick glance. "You have to wonder why Shachou resulted to such a decision…"

"I'm sure he had a good reason," Haruka said.

After a short moment of silence, Chihaya shifted her eyes to the floor. "If that were so easy to believe…" she said, with her voice low and calm.

"Hmm…" Haruka paused, and started to contemplate on what Chihaya implied. But her train of thought was immediately interrupted when she turned and witnessed Miki sleeping on the bench.

Miki mumbled some words. "Honey… Miki wants… some onigiri…" she murmured slowly. Then, she giggled and smiled. "Aha… Thank you… Honey…" She seemed to be enjoying her pleasant dream.

When Haruka observed Miki's half-dressed body, she became stunned. "E-Eh? Miki! Wake up! You can't fall asleep at a time like this!" She approached and attempted to wake her.

Chihaya, having watched the entire situation, simply sighed and turned away. "Why does her behavior remind me of _him_?" she said to herself, slightly aggravated. She had adapted to Miki's usual mannerism throughout her career as an idol, but would sometimes become disputed by her behavior.

Putting on the rest of her clothes, Chihaya headed for the door. "I'll be at the main entrance. Please hurry, for time is of the essence." With that, she exited the dressing room.

* * *

><p>Hours had passed until the day turned to night. The streets of Tokyo were filled with the cold melodramatic darkness until it vanquished by amorous illuminating lights, turning the industrious city into a dazzling radiance. Everyone had returned home to relieve themselves and laze away into a well-earned slumber, except for two certain people who had remained behind in 765 Pro to have an important discussion.<p>

"Takagi-Shachou, are you crazy?" the woman with the spectacles protested, her voice loud and strictly harsh.

The woman, Ritsuko Akizuki, never had an opportunity to have an important discussion with President Takagi due to her laborious schedule. President Takagi was still occupied in his office, and tonight was Ritsuko's only chance to speak her mind.

President Takagi glanced at his fellow young producer in astonishment. "Hm? You've never addressed me in such a way, unless it was truly serious…"

"Yes, Takagi-Shachou. It _is _serious," Ristuko replied as she crossed her arms to her chest, walking towards his desk. "I apologize for my inappropriate behavior. But are you really certain about Akimoto-dono being a co-producer?"

"Of course, I am certain," President Takagi responded, nodding. "Do you doubt his abilities?"

"W-Well, I am perfectly fine with him being our renovator but as a co-producer? He does not seem very reliable."

President Takagi paused for a moment to contemplate on what Ritsuko stated. "…Hmm. Indeed, he does not look like the kind of man to perform such a role… but I am pretty confident. He is no different than our Producer." Picking up a document, he began to analyze it while speaking. "I've seen his resume. It's quite impressive to be honest."

Ritsuko widened her eyes and parted her mouth in astoundment. "W-What? Really? I had no idea…"

President Takagi tossed the resume back on his desk and clasped his hands together. "Ritsuko-kun, I know how you feel about him, but give him a chance. He may surprise you in a positive perspective."

Ritsuko lifted her arm, grasped her chin and her fingers covered her mouth, posing as if she was thinking. "…I suppose he has some value to the company."

"Even though I've told him he does not need to begin with the renovation project, he is still does it anyway," President Takagi said, rubbing his thumb with the other.

Ritsuko nodded her head. "Yeah, I saw. Since he is our new co-producer, he mustn't neglect his duties."

"Indeed."

"Anyways, I have some work to do, so please excuse me." With a slight bow, Ritsuko turned and exited President Takagi's office.

When the door closed, the office became soundless, except for the low, steady circulation of the air conditioner at President Takagi's window.

He sighed in depression. "Ritsuko-kun had changed ever since Ryuuguu Komachi had won the Idol Academy last year. Even the Producer isn't the same as he was before. I worry for the well-being of my staff…"

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If you suspect other errors, please inform me so I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	8. Chapter 7 Crude Humiliation

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **The character, Kamei Akimoto, will face similar experiences. That is all. If you do not like how it is progressing from here, let me know so that I can make it more favorable now and the future.

**Note(s):** The only majority of the notes I can remind right now are the ones from the last chapter.

I do not want to commit a mistake on my part. I want to do this right with positive results. Therefore, please read and review.

**These are a few new notes.**

If the dialogues containing some Japanese language bother you, let me know so that I can change them.

I have already written more chapters, and are in the process of revision and editing. This current chapter had been revised and edited again to satisfy my readers.

Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 7 Crude Humiliation**

Two weeks had passed since that unfortunate occurrence in the vocal studio. Chihaya did not distinctively approve Kamei's role as co-producer due to his ignorance. As for Haruka and Miki, their assessments about him were simply anonymous.

Presently at around 10:30am, the Producer had arrived at 765 Pro. He entered through the entrance doors, walked up the stairway, and arrived at his office. There, he was warmly greeted by the office clerk, Kotori Otonashi.

"Ohaiyou gozaimasu, Producer-san!" she said, unveiling a jovial smile and high-spirited tone.

The Producer gave her a quick glance as he walked to his swivel chair. He answered with an exhausted and boring demeanor. "Oh, good morning…"

Having noticed his unusual behavior, Kotori felt an uneasy sensation and become worried. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired," he said in a jolt. He seemed to be trying to avoid more eye contact, as well as a conversation.

Kotori had been thinking. _He doesn't seem to be a morning person lately… I wonder what's wrong… _She sighed, dismissing the anxiety from her heart. _No, I'm sure he's just tired. _She studied Producer's face and recognized a physical predicament. _It's unclear, but I can see bags under his eyes. _

The Producer was unaware that Kotori had been staring at him worriedly, until he looked at her. Noticing that she was concerned about him, he smiled graciously. "Sorry. It's just that I've been moving back and forth between Project Viola and the other idol soloists. I even had to attend late night meetings with event companies. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Kotori sighed in consolation, and smiled again. "Don't push yourself too hard. Remember, we still have our newly instated co-producer helping out."

Frowning, the Producer looked away. "U-Um… about that." His voice was stuttering, as if something was clogging his throat.

Kotori asked curiously. "Hm? Is something amiss, Producer-san?"

After a brief pause, he finally answered. "Whenever I needed help, Akimoto-san is nowhere to be found."

Kotori cocked her head quizzically. "Huh? What are you talking about? I always see him here. Either in the living room, interview room, or the kitchen."

The Producer gazed at Kotori in puzzlement and raised his voice, like a siren. "W-What?"

"I guess you ask for him at the wrong time," she said, giggling lightly.

The Producer became stupefied and unsure. "I… I suppose. Come to think of it, what _does _he do here?"

"Um…" Kotori paused briefly to recollect her memories. She looked up, and placed a finger next to her mouth. "I don't know exactly since I'm busy at my desk… but whenever I see him, he takes short naps and then leaves."

"Is that so? I don't think that's appropriate in this case." The Producer remained quiet for a moment. "Do you know if Akimoto-san is around at the moment?"

"Hmm…" Kotori thought to herself again, recalling another possible memory that would answer the Producer's question. Unfortunately, she could not remember anything. "Sorry. I'm afraid I haven't seen him this morning."

The Producer lowered his head, and sighed in disbelief. "Darn… I wanted to know what he was up to. I mean, he _is_ a co-producer so he should be helping me, you, or Ritsuko."

"True… but remember." Before she continued speaking, Kotori raised a finger to provide a reasonable point. "Akimoto-san is still starting out and learning how things here operate."

"I see… Yeah, you have a point. He's still a newcomer." Then, the Producer had recalled a memory from the day of Kamei's debut. "Oh, that's right. He was placed in charge of the renovation project."

"Good of you to remember, even during the times of hardship," she said, smiling.

"Well, the important thing is that he has another job to focus on. Otherwise, things will turn out for the worse." He was referring to Shachou's investment towards Kamei, and that it would have been a waste.

Kotori nodded. "I agree without a doubt. But I don't know how he's going to manage both roles. It's rather difficult."

"You have a point there… I guess he'd just have to focus on one thing at a time." Then, the Producer returned his attention to his desk. "Anyways, I have work to do so we'll talk more later."

Kotori smiled and nodded again. "Sure!"

Unfortunately, she doubted that she would have another conversation. Not for a long while. Knowing the Producer, he would return bustling through the notorious schedule of business.

* * *

><p>Kamei and a group of workers walked up the stairs, carrying with them long mirrors. The echoes of their unsteady footsteps encircled then. Shortly, they arrived at the second floor of the building of 765 Pro and entered through a door, leading into an empty room, or so they thought. It was actually occupied by three familiar feminine figures.<p>

The short, tan-skinned girl with the black long high ponytail was Hibiki. She was wearing deep aquamarine athletic shorts, a bolero-type jacket, and a white shirt underneath.

The girl with the black-purple taupe shoulder length hair and tomboyish pose was Makoto. Unlike Hibiki, she was wearing her own personal athletic clothes, which consisted of a short black tank top, navy blue sweatpants, and baby blue striped wristbands.

Lastly, the gentle innocent-looking girl with the light brown hair was Yukiho. She was wearing a whole anti-flash white jogging suit.

Hibiki and Makoto appeared to be practicing their dance routines. Yukiho, on the other hand, had been resting on the dull wooden floor, wiping the sweat off her face with a rag. She was not the best dancer with impressive endurance like her two friends; therefore, she needed frequent breaks.

"I still can't… get use to this…" Yukiho said tiredly, panting.

Makoto temporarily ceased her routine, turned to Yukiho, and smiled. "Don't push it too much. You're doing great, though." Compared to Yukiho, she was not as exhausted.

Yukiho returned the compliment with a pleasant grin, and responded softly. "Thank you, Makoto-chan."

Hibiki moved her attention to Makoto. "Hey, Makoto! I bet I can dance longer than you!" she said, her tone filled with confidence.

"Heh… Is that a challenge?" Makoto said, smirking.

Kamei had been watching them for quite a time, having instantly forgotten the reason he was in the room. But as soon as he begun to relax, the mirror became heavier and his body nearly slumped. Fortunately, he retained his strength and prevented it from hitting the floor.

"…That would've been noisy," he said lowly and calmly. Then, he shifted his attention to the workers. "Alright, you guys can put the mirrors against the leftmost wall."

Complying with his order, the workers carefully approached the wall without disturbing the girl's practice. Afterwards, he ventured and followed his crew. Due to the length of the mirror and the crowdedness, when Kamei moved, he headed straight for the closest girl.

"Hibiki, look out!" Yukiho cried out vehemently, becoming a witness.

However, Hibiki was unable to react as the moment occurred simultaneously. Kamei accidently bumped and knocked her down to the floor. Immediately afterwards, she adjusted her body and glared at him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Hibiki said, scowling and glaring at Kamei. She was speaking with her usual Okinawan dialect.

"…Sorry about that. I guess I'm being too clumsy." He spoke as if the incident was only a trifle.

"Sorry won't cut it! You should've seen where you were going!"

Kamei glanced away with a short pause. "Um…Who are you again?"

Hibiki grew more agitated. "W-What? How could you forget me so quickly?" Then, she started to talk in her mind. _He did that on purpose didn't he…? Jerk…_

The tension between Kamei and Hibiki continued to accumulate, even though Kamei tried his best not be involved. Yukiho started to become afraid, witnessing a fiery blazing aura around Hibiki.

Before the situation could become dire, Makoto approached Hibiki in attempt to alleviate her. "H-Hey, Hibiki. Don't waste your breath on him. Besides, he _did _say sorry."

Hibiki, who was glaring at Kamei poisonously for a while, finally turned her head away in a jolt, and pouted in disbelief. "…I-I guess. But what's with his attitude?"

"There's no reason to get worked up when no one is hurt," Kamei said, avoiding eye contact from Hibiki. He paused momentarily and looked at them with a nonchalant smile. "Besides, would I ever do something hurtful like that to you?"

After a long silence, Hibiki finally answered. "If you were a clumsy bum…"

Kamei lowered his head until the shadows covered his eyes, but he maintained an expressionless grin. _I'm a bum again…_ _She's also a clever girl for using my own words against me…_

Taking a good glance at his surroundings, Kamei happened to notice something. The room was scheduled for renovations and yet... Hibiki, Makoto, and Yukiho were inside.

He raised his head and gave them a puzzled stare. "Come to think of it… why are the three of you here?"

"We're practicing our dance routine, of course. It's part of our schedule," Makoto said. She did not have to think about it.

"…I had no idea, he said.

"Y-You had no idea?" Makoto said in astonishment.

_So much for being a co-producer…_

"One more thing…" Kamei paused and took a moment, arranging some words in his mind to his liking. "This place is off-limits."

The girls stared at him with widened eyes and responded in unison. "Ehhhh?"

They were not angry, just very baffled. They knew about the renovation plan but were never informed when the project had commenced. Yukiho felt as if she had done something wrong, and began to feel slightly melancholic.

"Who said that?" Makoto said loudly, being the first to complain.

"Since when?" Hibiki said, with her voice just as loud and with a hint of aggravation in her tone.

Kamei had no reason to elucidate, but he offered them a scenario to the best of his ability. "Think about it. Shachou ordered the renovation project, correct? Indeed, this room is now 765 Pro-territory, but that does not mean it's off-limits during construction. It's prohibited for a reason. Also, you would also be interfering with men's work here."

Unlike Hibiki and Makoto, Yukiho was apologetic. She stood up, kept a certain distance, and gave Kamei a slight bow. "I-I'm sorry… I had no idea," she said, her tone of voice soft and timid. She looked as though she was about to shed tears.

Makoto felt sympathetic for Yukiho, but she maintained her composure.

Hibiki crossed her arms. "Hold on! You're just making that up! I didn't see any sign that indicated no entry or anything!"

"…Hmm. Good point," Kamei said, looking away. He felt a little defeated that Hibiki found a contradiction in his statements. "I guess from now on, it's prohibited."

Hibiki turned away from him in a huff. "I get it… You just want to get rid of us so that you can do whatever you want here."

Kamei shifted his eyes to the window, avoiding eye contact. "In a sense… yes. I'm in charge of the renovations, actually. The sooner my workers and I can continue the project, the better. I hope you can understand."

"…I guess," Hibiki said, still pouting. She focused her full attention and anger to him. "Just don't go bumping at us again! Or I'll take you down myself!"

"…Aggressive. And that sounded weird… I can't guarantee that, but alright."

Yukiho looked down at the floor, still doleful. "But where are we going to practice now?"

Makoto switched her glance to Yukiho, and smiled in assurance. "Don't worry,Yukiho. We still have the other dance studio we originally went to."

"Yeah! We still have our back-up studio!" Hibiki shifted her arms to the back of her head, unveiled a happy grin that practically revealed her whit glistening teeth. "No need to worry! Right, Hamuzou?" She looked up. Her little pet hamster, Hamuzou, was present on her head the entire time, shortly after stopping their dance routine. Crossing his arms, Hamuzou nodded with a proud demeanor.

"…Strange. I've never seen a gerbil respond like a human," Kamei said, focusing his attention on Hamuzou.

Truly offended by Kamei's attempt to formulate a joke, Hibiki stomped her foot and swung her fists down. "He's not a gerbil! He's a hamster! And he has a name!" she said, appearing as though she was about to assault him.

"…Right. Was it… Hamzu?"

Hibiki shook her head ferociously. "No!" The violent waving movements caused Hamuzou to fall. Grabbing on to her bangs, he held on to his life with a cat-like expression on his face. "His name is Hamuzou!" Hibiki said loudly.

"The Great Adventures of Hamuzou… I wonder how he manages to survive after all those episodes."

Her nerves finally snapped, and she attempted to punch him. "That's it! I'm going to kick your butt!" She was offended that Kamei thought of her as a poor owner.

Makoto grabbed her from behind and restrained her. "H-Hey, Hibiki! Calm down! I'm sure he did not mean it!"

Yukiho looked at Kamei. She was no longer depressed, but rather upset by his behavior. "Akimoto-san, that's very harsh!"

Kamei turned his eyes away. None of the girls were able read his expressions, believing that he truly meant what he said. Before the situation worsened, Kamei finally spoke

"Hibiki, I never intended to hurt your feelings. Therefore, I apologize," he said in with a calm and relaxed tone.

Finally breaking from Makoto's grasp, Hibiki jerked to the side with a jolt, and crossed her arms. "Hmph… Yeah, right." She was being very sarcastic.

"If it will lessen the tension between us, I'll buy you a bag of pet food for your hamster," Kamei said, scratching the side of his tempo with a finger.

Hibiki shut her eyes, keeping her grudge on Kamei. "No need. I personally make Hamuzou his food."

"…Hmm. I had no idea," he said in astonishment. He appeared to be really interested on Hibiki's culinary skills.

However, a long silence was provoked.

Makoto turned her eyesight to the floor, and scratched the side of her head, like Kamei. "…Well, this is awkward."

Yukiho was appeased that the situation finally reached a conclusion, but the outcomes could have been better.

"H-Hey! We should go to the dance studio while we still have time!" she said, smiling in high spirits.

Makoto and Hibiki turned to her, and smiled in return. "Yeah! Thanks for the reminder, Yukiho!"

Together, Makoto and Hibiki left the room, completely ignoring and leaving Kamei astounded. Yukiho was the last to depart but before she left, she bowed to Kamei. "I am sorry for the trouble Akimoto-san."

"Oh it's no big—." Before he could finish his sentence, Yukiho had already left his presence. Pausing, he just watched her depart and close the door.

After a short awkward silence, he finally completed his statement. "…deal."

Kamei placed the mirror against the wall, and thought to himself. _Another rough start… déjà vu… _

Then, he focused his attention to his surroundings and realized that he was really alone in the cluttered room. "…The workers just left me."

* * *

><p>Subsequent to the departure from 765 Pro, Hibiki, Makoto, and Yukiho arrived at the dance studio. Due to their popularity, they had Kotori drop them off instead of just walking there since they cannot risk being barricaded and overrun by their fans. Entering the studio, they journeyed to the dance room.<p>

Even though Kamei was away from her sight, Hibiki could not help but to behave like an angry girl. Her face was filled with an unhappy frown and narrow eyes, and she walked stiffly as if she was about to punch someone in the face.

Yukiho glanced and became worried, having noticed the temperamental sensation around her. "Hibiki-chan, are you all right?"

"Mmm… yeah," Hibiki mumbled. She had no issue on starting a conversation with her fellow idols, but when it came to certain unfavorable topics, she would shake them off with quick verbal or bodily language.

"Are you still angry about Akimoto-san?" she said.

Hearing his name, Hibiki grew more agitated. "Of course I am! I mean, who the heck does he think he is?" Her voice was loud like a speaker. This was one topic she especially did not want to discuss.

"He's our co-producer," Makoto said, joining the conversation. Then, she paused momentarily and thought about their earlier conflict with Kamei. Much to her knowledge, she had rarely seen Kamei perform his job, and added, "Well… more or less."

"Geez, what was Shachou thinking? Hiring that punk and all… I've never been so offended."

Like her, Hamuzou was disappointed, having his arms crossed at his chest. But then again, Kamei had provided a point about his adventures. There were times when Hibiki had forgotten that Hamuzou was somewhere on her body, whether inside her pockets or on top of her head. It does not occur all the time. But when she had forgotten and performed sudden actions that required extreme movements, Hamuzou would sometimes hesitate, become nauseous, or simply slip off from her head.

While Hamuzou reflected on this, Makoto had an idea that would hopefully turn the dilemma around. "Look at the bright side! He hasn't done anything wrong exactly!" she said.

Hibiki believed in her words, but she discovered a contradiction to this claim. "He hasn't done anything right either."

Stunned by Hibiki's quick comeback and her own defeat, Makoto shifted her eyes to the floor and scratched her head. "Well, you do have a point there… He hasn't done anything right or wrong so far…"

The trio arrived at their destination and were about to enter the dance room.

Yukiho quickly called her friend. "Um, Hibiki-chan?"

Hibiki turned around and looked at her curiously. "What is it?" Her tone of voice was still stiff with aggravation, but she was trying her best to sound more like her usual energetic self.

"What are you going to do about Akimoto-san?" she asked in her usual soft tone.

"Hmm…" Briefly, she thought of her question, and then formulated an answer.

"You know what I'm going to do," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "He hasn't done anything wrong, I'll give him that but… when he does, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind and complain to Producer-nii!" She threw a fist forward to further support her intention.

With that in mind, Hibiki revolved, opened the door, and entered the dance room. After a short moment of looking at each other in awe, Makoto and Yukiho followed her inside and proceeded with their dance session.

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If you suspect other errors, please inform me so I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	9. Chapter 8 In Capable Hands

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There will be a slight change of perspective in this chapter. Those who are familiar with the idols from the game/anime/manga will be able to recognize those characters. For me, I believe this change is absolutely necessary to get a bigger picture on characters' positive factors. I could be wrong but that's up to you, the readers, to determine that.

**Note(s):** There will be a slight change of verb tense to give off a different feeling while reading this chapter. I've read that past tense can be very boring since it is overused. Therefore, I've applied present tense throughout the chapter to the best of my ability. It is only an experiment and I would like your input on my change of pace. If it is unfavorable and disrupts the flow of reading, let me know so that I can correct this chapter.

I have already written more chapters, and are in the process of revision and editing. This current chapter had been revised and edited again to satisfy my readers.

Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 8 In Capable Hands**

It was a Wednesday afternoon, and time was 5:00pm. The majority of inhabitants in Japan were participating in various activities by now, whether they were simple, leisurely interests like the game arcade or karaoke with friends.

Speaking of the arcade, there was a young man striding along the side of the street. Despite being an average bystander, he was still receiving some attention from other girls, even from those below and above his age. He was only wearing a simple, crimson shirt with a black, unzipped vest on top, blue jeans that had some stylish tears at the knee and femur regions, and slip-on shoes.

However, these were not the features that the girls were focusing on. Mainly, they were having their attention on his face. It was entrancing to them on how he had such a resemblance to a certain someone. His eyes were red and violet during the day, but when not exposing to light they appeared light brown. Speaking of brown, even his hair has a similar shading, except more genuine to its color.

The young man, known as Touma Amagase, had noticed the attention he was receiving. Turning his head away, he closed his eyes. "Honestly… don't they know I'm not an idol anymore?" His tone sounded rather distasteful, but also regretful since he missed that role.

He was on his way to the arcade, as if he had some sort of appointment. He was looking very intent while being occupied by his mp3 player. The song that he was listening to was familiar piece, belonging to 961 Pro's former boy band, Project Jupiter. It was the group's debut song, Alice or Guilty.

Uso no kotoba ga afure

Uso no toki wo kizamu

Machi wa yuganda LABYRINTH

(Kimi wo miushinau...ALICE)

These words were the first verse of the song. His mouth was moving, but no sounds were emitting from his mouth. He was actually vocalizing silently along with the lyrics while remaining in-tune with the rhythm.

Shortly, Touma arrived and entered the arcade. The instant he stepped inside, he was blown away by the bustling and noisy sounds of 32 and 64-bit gaming systems. They were especially louder than his music.

"There's no point in listening to music in a noisy place," Touma said, turning off his mp3 and placing it into his pocket.

Touma glanced at around, as if he was searching for someone. "Hmm… Where is he?"

He entered the depths of the arcade and explored every path and location. He suspected these areas would hold the person he was searching for. But no positive results had turned up. Eventually, he became frustrated and simply gave up.

"Oh forget it! Why invite me if you don't show up, Shouta?" His tone was now loud and aggravated, but was not earsplitting enough to match the noise of the arcade systems.

He shook his head and cleared his mind. "No… calm down Touma. I'm sure he's just late."

Then, his cell phone vibrated and emitted a ringtone. Startled, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the caller ID. "Oh, it's Hokuto."

He opened the text message and begun to analyze it.

_**To: **__Touma_

_**From: **__Hokuto_

_**Subject: **__A performance_

_Hello Touma. This is your friend, Hokuto. I am saddened and hurt to say that I will not be able to arrive at the arcade. Something has turned up; a friend of mine needed me to take over his performance at a restaurant. Sorry for the inconvenience. Perhaps, next time I shall be able to come. Anyways, I hope you and Shouta have fun. Ciao~!_

_ -Hokuto_

After reviewing the message, Touma closed his phone and shut his eyes in disbelief. "Are you serious? That's just great… Now I feel like this invitation is really bogus."

He sighed and shook his head in assurance. "Well, if it really does come down to that… I'll just have to make the best of it."

Touma looked around again, and then he focused his attention on one of the arcade systems. "I guess I can play a game or two to pass the time."

He skimmed through the rows until he located a desirable and interesting game to play. "Hmm… Guitar Freak. They even have something similar in America."

Giving it a try, he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and inserted a hundred yen into the coin slot. He wrapped the guitar strap around his body and began scanning through the available, Japanese rock songs. He became baffled that there were such varieties of songs.

"They have quite an interesting selection for Guitar Freak," he said.

Locating the song he was familiar with, he pressed the button and initiated the performance. The composition he had chosen was a popular song called "Colors of the Heart" from the Japanese band, UVERworld.

As Touma played, he unknowingly grabbed the attention of a few people that were near him. They were really interested, entranced on how he shifted his body with the rhythm and manipulated his fingers with the chords along the song. Because they knew the song as well, they could not help but to sing silently and tap their foot.

Touma thought to himself. _This is really a good song… It always sounded better in stereo. _

Shortly, he was approached by a teenager. "Amazing, Touma-kun! I didn't know you can play!"

When Touma heard the unexpected voice that practically overcame the sound from the arcade system, he became completely startled, shoving his body away. He quickly ceased from playing and turned his eyes to the teenager. Recognizing the boy's identity, he then became slightly irritated.

"Hey, Shouta! D-Don't scare me like that!" he said, his tone of voice loud and flustered.

Unfortunately, the song ended with a failure due to his distraction. He glanced at the screen and saw the game over wording. More aggravate, he refocused his attention to Shouta with a glare.

"Now look what you've made me do! I almost bagged it!" he said.

Shouta could not help but to laugh gleefully, crossing his arms behind his head. "Ha ha ha! Touma-kun is really mad!" His voice sung, as if he was making fun of him. Of course, this concept was part of his behavior.

"W-Why you…" Touma continued to glare at him icily until he lowered his head and sighed. "Che… Forget it. No reason to get angry over a game."

"Right, right!" Shouta said, with his tone still cheery and enthusiastic.

Suddenly, he realized that another member of their group was missing. "Eh? Where's Hokuto-kun?"

The young women were admiring Shouta on his endeavors. He was acting like a pirate on the crow's nest of a frigate ship. But his clothes and physical features speak differently on his actual appearance. He was wearing a cotton-made, midnight blue jacket over his white t-shirt, dark teal jeans, converse, and one of his black, signature headbands. He has it wrapped vertically on his head to keep his shoulder-length hair from framing his cheeks and obscuring his green-yellow eyes. Being so casual, he was still the cute and cool Shouta.

Shouta was glancing around, especially in the midst of the crowd that mainly consisted of females. As for Touma, he was remaining completely still with his body bent forward and his arms hung down. His face was projecting an unpleasant expression.

"Shouta… if you stop being childish I'll tell you about it," Touma said, his tone strong and demanding.

"Eh?" Shouta turned to him and smiled. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

Touma shifted his glance away, slightly agitated that Shouta reacted in such a carefree behavior. "I was trying to but you kept ignoring me."

"Sorry about that Touma-kun!" he said loudly, laughing in embarrassment. "I was just really excited to have a reunion. After all, it's been a while."

"Um… Can we talk about this in a less… crowded space?"

"Sure thing!"

After a moment of consoling and dissipating the crowd, Touma and Shouta walked towards the entrance of the arcade. Along the way, Touma accidently bumped into someone by the shoulder.

"Hey! Watch where you going!" Touma said, with his tone of voice loud and filled with aggravation.

But then, he flustered, having remembered a promise he made to himself. _Crap… What am I doing? _

Touma vowed to convert his behavior and ways of performing certain actions around people. Forgetting such a promise would only prove unbeneficial to his lifestyle and personality.

He glanced at the man, and quickly bowed apologetically. "No, I-I mean… sorry."

The man turned to Touma and returned the glance with his own tired-looking eyes. Blinking a few times, he shifted his gaze away. "It's no big deal. Just be careful around certain people. They can be a real pain in the butt."

Touma nodded, and said his farewell to the man before departing from the arcade with Shouta. Along the streets, they reformulated the initial plan and decided to head for the shopping district. Touma wanted to travel there, saying he needed to purchase something.

* * *

><p>Shortly, Touma and Shouta arrived at one of the nearest shopping district. The time was the afternoon; therefore, the location was rather crowded with people. Around them, they saw students, business men, housewives, etc.<p>

"So Touma-kun. What is it that you needed to buy?" Shouta asked nosily, leaning his body forward to have a better look at Touma's puzzled face.

Touma turned and returned the glance. Noticing his huge curiosity, he instantly shifted his head away in embarrassment. "I-It's none of your business, Shouta!" His voice was unexpectedly loud and stuttering, as if he was hiding something from his friend.

"Hmm?" Shouta frowned and narrowed his eyes, suspicious of his unusual behavior. "Touma-kun, are you not telling me something I should probably know?"

When he face Touma and leaned towards his face, Touma become flustered and moved away from him. "I-I told you! It's none of your business!"

When they were speaking to each other in loud tones, they were also attracting some unwanted attention by some girls. They were discussing with each other on how they resembled the members of Project Jupiter. Obviously, their suspicions have been confirmed due to their voices. It was the way how they were projecting their voices, which were the same when they were on stage.

After a short moment of analyzing his facial expression, Shouta unveiled a mischievous grin. He adjusted his voice to provide a teasing tone. "Could it be…? You're buying something for a certain someone, am I right?"

"N-No way! Why would I do that? And stop getting so close to me!" Touma said, becoming more shaken.

Shouta laughed playfully, enjoying his endeavor on tantalizing him. "I know you Touma-kun. I think I know who this girl you're buying a present for."

He leaned closer to him and covered his mouth to whisper. "It's Miki-chan, right?"

Hearing the name of the girl, Touma blushed lightly with his cheeks rosy red. Shouta noticed this reaction, obviously expecting it. _Gotcha! _

"O-Okay fine! You got me! It _is _Miki! Now stop pestering me!" he said, quickly turning his back to Shouta and crossing his arms to hide his blush.

Shouta laughed again and gave a wide smile. "Ha ha ha! Okay, okay! Sorry, Touma-kun! I'm just really curious that's all!"

"A-Anyways, let's just go," Touma quickly said, kicking the subject aside.

"Yes, yes," Shouta said, singing.

With their conversation ended, they departed from the circle that the small crowd developed around them. Touma begun his search for the certain object he desired to purchase, while Shouta tagged along behind him.

Shouta had a jovial grin on his face, and his arms crossed behind his head. He looked as if he was performing stretches in a gym. As for Touma, he had a slightly hopeless expression. He seemed rather frustrated, possessing the appearance of a lost child.

Eventually, Touma located the story that he believed would hold the certain accessory he was searching for. He turned to Shouta and told him to remain at the entrance. When he complied with his request, Touma entered inside.

"Hopefully, I'll find it here…" he said, scanning through the items.

Rather, the object in his mind was a specific kind of hat that had a peculiarly interesting design on it. Suddenly, he realized his misconception and froze still.

"Crap… what did it look like again?" he said quizzically, placing a hand over his chin and proceeding to think.

As he thought, Touma was examining all of the available hats in the store. He was hoping that the designs would provide him some sort of hint, but none of them were even shining one at the slightest. Becoming frustrated, he leaves the store and approaches his friend.

"So, did you find it?" Shouta said, glancing at him with a hopeful smile and having his hands behind his back.

Touma slowly looked at him and remained quiet until he sighed. "To be exact… I forgot what it looked like."

Shouta became stunned, widening his eyes. "Ehhhhh? How could you forget something so important?"

He shifted his arms to the back of his head and turned away slightly, while still gazing at him. "Wow, you still don't know a thing about girls do you? Hokuto-kun will be disappointed."

"H-Hey! What do you know about girls?" he said, doubting Shouta's knowledge about girls' interests.

"Ha ha ha! Not much at all!" he said, laughing.

Without warning, a young blonde girl approached the two males. "Aha~ Touma-kun! Shouta-kun! Konnichiwa!" Her tone of voice was vigorous and spirited.

Touma and Shouta reacted in unison. "Eh?"

Focusing their attention on the girl, they examined her long wavy hair and bright face. These features were very familiar to them. Recognizing her identity, Touma became stunned. As for Shouta, he simply smiled generously.

"M-Miki! W-What are you doing here?" Touma said anxiously, his voice stuttering.

Shouta turned to him. "Hey, Touma-kun. You're too uptight."

Miki paused and formulated a reason why for her presence. She closed her eyes for a moment with a finger pressed below her chin. "Hmm… Miki got bored of the radio talk show she was attending. So, Miki decided to end it early and come over here."

Touma regained his composure and gave her a serious look. "Miki, you shouldn't do that. More importantly, you shouldn't be here. You'll attract a crowd."

"Ah! Touma-kun is right!" Miki pulled Touma and Shouta by the wrists and dragged them into the store they were next to. "Come! Come! They won't bother us in here!"

"H-Hey! Stop pulling!" Touma said, demanding her to release him but to no avail.

* * *

><p>Once inside, the trio was tucked away in a little corner with Shouta and Touma covering the only two pathways for Miki to squeeze through. Miki insisted on this action for no one would notice her behind two tall young men, even though Shouta did not possess the same height and body structure as Touma.<p>

"M-Miki, isn't this a little… weird?" Touma said, feeling awkward.

Miki glanced up at him, shook her head and smiled happily. "No, not at all! Touma-kun should lighten up."

"A-Anyways…" Touma covered his mouth and coughed, clearing his throat. "Why are you here?"

"Miki wanted to look for something… cool," she simply said, placing her hands behind her back and cocking her head slightly.

Shouta crossed his arms behind his head again. "What does it look like?"

Miki recollected her thoughts, having the pose she acted on earlier outside. "Hmm… Miki remembers it well because she sees it all the time at work. It's really, really cute!"

But then, she started to talk about her complaints on not being able to find it herself. "Miki's really sad that many of the stores she goes to don't have it."

Shortly, she stopped speaking and began to glance around her for the hat she desired. She had not explained to Shouta and Touma about the hat's description, much to their chagrin. However, she compensated by pointing a finger towards a man that was approaching them.

"There! That's the hat Miki wants!" Her finger was elevated towards the man's hat.

Touma and Shouta turned and looked at the man who stood in front of them. Skeptical at first, Touma recognized the man's identity. "Hey, you're the guy I bumped into at the arcade," he said.

The man glanced away obliviously. "And you're that nerdy, nice guy."

"I-I'm not a nerd!" Touma said, positioning his arms and body as if he was about to pounce at him. He was offended by his words, even though he secretly admitted that it was partially true due to his hobbies.

Ignoring Touma's existence, the man focused his attention to the girl behind them. "Ah, you are here… but why?"

Narrowing her eyebrows, Miki glanced at him. "Shouldn't Miki be asking Bum-san that?" The man whom she referred to as Bum-san was actually her co-producer, Kamei.

Kamei's eyes glanced away again. "…Hmm. Good point. I was going out of my mind with boredom at the office…" He looked at her and unveiled a casual smile. "…so I left."

Miki giggled lightly. "That is very much like Bum-san. Won't Forehead-chan get angry?"

"Wait, hold on!" Touma refocused his attention to Miki. "You know him?"

Miki nodded. "Bum-san is Miki's co-producer."

"Whoa! I had no idea!" Shouta said, his tone highly enthusiastic and curious.

Kamei smiled calmly. "Heya. The name's Kamei."

Shouta turned to him, placed a hand over his chin, and examined his entire appearance. Noticing his unusual clothing style, he returned to Miki. "Isn't he just a bum?"

Kamei lowered his head until the shadows covered his eyes, and displayed a nonchalant smile. _Even this kid thinks I'm a bum…_

"Yeah! Bum-san looks like one too!" Miki said, giggling afterwards.

Touma sighed and shook his head, before glancing at Kamei. "Don't mind me asking but… where did you get that hat?"

When he asked that question, Kamei became a little hesitant. The way Touma looked at him made him feel like he was some sort of criminal, but he misinterpreted. He looked up and placed his hand over his Amaterasu hat.

After a short moment of silence, he finally calmed down, having realized that Touma only wanted to know where he obtained it. "Um… I don't know exactly. This was actually a gift from my little cousin."

"Oh… I see," Touma said.

Becoming silent, he thought to himself. _Well, I guess I can get her a hat anyway. It won't be the same as she requested… but I tried. _

Touma reached into his back pocket to check his money. Suddenly, he widened his eyes and became stunned, realizing that his wallet was missing. His heart skipped a beat, and a chilly feeling emitted from his skin.

_Crap... m-my wallet… Where did it go? _He paused and recalled his memories of the last time he had seen or used his wallet. Then, he remembered. _I must've left it back in the arcade! _

"Huh? Touma-kun? Are you alright?" Shouta asked, puzzled about Touma's sweaty appearance.

Touma broke from his mental trance and focused his eyes on him. "Oh, uh… it's… hard to explain…"

He paused, unable to formulate any words from his mouth at the moment. Quickly, he regained some of his composure. "I… I think I may have left my wallet at the arcade." He could barely keep his voice from falling behind his throat.

Shouta became surprised, parting his mouth. "Ehhhh? Touma-kun, that's so unlike you!"

"H-Hey! You had me so distracted that I forgot about it!" he said loudly.

"Wallet... wallet…" Kamei said, mumbling and trailing his attention away for a short while.

He contemplated on why the word sounded very familiar. Then, he remembered. "Oh, that's right!" His tone of voice sounded as if he had solved a dilemma.

Sticking his hand into his pocket, he pulled out the relevant object and handed it to Touma. "I believe this belongs to you."

Touma focused his eyes on the wallet and examined its shape and design. Recognizing its composition, he became stunned, relieved that someone like Kamei actually returned a valuable possession.

"Ah! My wallet!" Touma grasped and took his wallet from Kamei's hand. He checked the internal contents, making sure that nothing was stolen.

Even though Kamei returned the wallet, he could not help but to feel a little offended that he was conducting a careful inspection. The whole situation was like an investigation where Touma was a cop and Kamei was a suspect. Touma would check the tampered evidence, and then question him for the missing content.

"Ah ha ha… Would I ever do something so low to you?" Kamei said, glancing away shamelessly.

After his examination was complete, Touma looked at him with a serious, yet pleased expression. "No, you wouldn't."

He bowed graciously and gave a friendly smile. "Thank you for returning my wallet."

Kamei nodded.

Shouta faced him and offered a similar grin. "Ha ha! You're a nice guy, Nii-san!"

"Heh… I aim to please," Kamei said, shrugging his shoulders proudly. Then, he looked at Miki. "Let's go back to the company. You don't want anyone to get worried, right?"

Miki sighed. She did not want to leave, but considering the consequences would make her situation become worse. Therefore, she acknowledged Kamei's point and complied. "Yes, yes. Miki will go."

She turned to Touma and winked at him, waving her hand out in a pistol shape. "Sorry for the troubles, Touma-kun! Let's hang out again next time~!"

Touma smiled confidently and nodded. "Yes, that sounds good."

Accompanying Kamei, Miki departs from the store. Before disappearing into the crowd, they turn and wave their hands at Touma and Shouta, indicating a sign of good-bye. In return, the guys perform the same action.

Touma embedded Kamei's face into his mind. "…Kamei is it? He's an interesting guy. Well, now I know that 765 Pro will less likely fall."

He nodded and grinned.

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **If there are other errors, let me know so that I may correct them.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	10. Chapter 9 Apathetic Irresponsibility

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **We return to the previous format from the chapter before Chapter 8. The concept is basically a balance between good and bad deeds. Every now and then a character would do something good, then something bad, and vice-versa. It is similar to how a seemingly bad action equals good results... if that makes any sense. That's basically how it has gone through since Chapter 6, and it will continue until I the later chapter(s). If you, the readers, believe that there needs to be a change of pace, then let me know so that I will tweak the upcoming chapters.

**Note(s):** I'll be switching between past and present tenses every now and then since I am still getting used to them. I would like some input about the changes, whether they are favorable or not.

Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 9 Apathetic Irresponsibility**

Three weeks had passed since then. It was a Tuesday morning, and the time was 8:50am. Ritsuko was sleeping soundly in her room.

Her room was very spacious. The head of her tea green doubled bed was positioned against the wall. There was a window on its left and a door on its right side. On the opposite side of the bed, there was a wide drawer with a mirror vertical to it. There were also some lotion, make-up, a jewelry box, and other possessions on top of that drawer, which were the usual belongings that a young woman would possess.

There was a smile on her face, and occasional movements of her head. She was having a pleasant dream about some events that previously took place in the past. The subject of imagination in her mind was about her idol unit, Ryuuguu Komachi. The setting was right after Project Viola's victory in the Idol Academy competition, and after the Producer's departure for Hollywood. Ritsuko and her idol unit, Ryuuguu Komachi, took the opportunity to participate in the next Idol Academy competition. The battle was fierce but they managed to pull through.

Ever since Ryuuguu Komachi won the last competition, Ritsuko and her unit had been working continuously, attending one scheduled event after another. Regardless of their victory, she believed that her idols cannot neglect their duties for an instant. Otherwise, all they had worked for would have been for naught.

As she dreamt, she reflected on her success as a Producer and Ryuuguu Komachi's victories. She wanted more satisfaction on watching her fellow friends perform their very best and fulfill their own dreams, and desired to expand 765 Pro to other prefectures of Japan. Indeed, the idols were famous, but popularity alone will lead them nowhere. In order for them to do this, Ritsuko needed them to work harder than before.

Her dream continued until she was interrupted by the loud ringing noise of her alarm clock. Returning to reality, she slowly opened her eyes and studied her surroundings.

Suddenly, she felt an unpleasant pang. Grabbing the region where it emanated, she twitched and clenched her teeth. "O-Ow… My head… I… I don't feel good…" Despite this, she still managed to check the time. It was 9:00am.

The alarming sound of the clock only served to increase the pain's intensity. Ritsuko attempted to turn it off. But try as she might, she was unable to. Her whole body was blazing, and her arm felt heavy as if someone was pulling it down. Eventually, she managed to shut off the alarm.

"This is… not good," Ritsuko said, her tone of voice low and crackly. Then, she covered her mouth and started to cough.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "I won't be able to… go to work at this condition. I need to contact Shachou…" She coughed again, before reaching out for her cell phone.

* * *

><p>President Takagi was at his office, scribbling on some important documents and bills, until he received a phone call. Picking up his cell phone, he checked the caller ID. He recognized who was calling, and answered the phone. "Hello, Ritsuko-kun?"<p>

In the other line, Ritsuko smiled and responded. "Shachou… Sorry for calling in like this but I am in a dire situation…" Suddenly, she coughed, which caught President Takagi by surprise.

"Ritsuko-kun? Are you feeling all right?" he said worriedly.

"…That's why I am calling. I am letting you know I'm going to remain here at home, until I get better." She paused momentarily to take a deep breath. "One more thing… I need Kotori-san to take over for me while I'm bedridden."

"Hmm… that's unfortunate." President Takagi twirled his chair around. "But all right. I shall make that request for you."

"Thank you, Shachou." She coughed once more, but this time it was a bit more severe than the last.

President Takagi remained silent as he listened to Ritsuko's uncontrollable wheezing and coughing. "That must be one nasty cough. I do hope you feel better. Drink plenty of water, and don't forget to take your medicine."

Ritsuko chuckled, and smiled again. She was very touch by President Takagi's concern for her. "Thanks, Shachou. I'll see you soon."

"Of couse. Get well soon. Good-bye," he said, pressing the end button on his cell phone.

After a short moment of silence, he sighed anxiously. "Most unfortunate, indeed. I better inform Otonashi-kun about this."

Rising from his chair, President Takagi approached the door and departed from his office. He entered the small thin hallway and traveled a short distance to the producers' office. His destination was only a few footsteps away. There, he found Kotori who was currently analyzing some paperwork at her desk.

"Otonashi-kun, I need a word with you," President Takagi said, interrupting her from her concentration.

Kotori turned her chair around, and glanced up at him with a smile that was pleasant like the morning sun. "What is it?"

"Ritsuko-kun will be absent today so I need you to take over for her," he said bluntly.

Kotori widened her eyes in shock. "E-Eh? But Shachou! I can't! I already have a task to accompany Haruka, Miki, and Hibiki to a commercial event! And plus…" Unknowingly, she started to rant about other occurrences in the tight schedule, much to President Takagi's chagrin.

"Actually… I'll ask Akimoto-kun or the Producer instead when I see one of them." Slowly, President Takagi turned around and returned to his office.

* * *

><p>Hours had elapsed until morning turned into afternoon. The eldest idols, Azusa and Takane, were already present in the company, while the rest had recently arrived from school. But like every other day, the idols were scheduled for multiple events, and had to depart from the building immediately.<p>

Most of the 765 Pro staff was hastily proceeding on with their jobs. Meanwhile, Kamei was snoozing at the living room, with an open magazine covering his face. But his timing for taking a nap could have been any better.

"Hey, you bum! Stop sleeping on the job!" the young girl Iori said, with her tone of voice loud and angry like a spoiled princess. She was leaning forward with her hands on her hips while holding on to her stuffed bunny, Charles Donatello the 18th.

"Wake up!" she said again.

The naturally pretty Iori-chan, wore a one piece dress and a black blouse underneath. The dress was a sleeveless dress but not spaghetti strapped. From her chest to her black belt, the dress was a solid lavender blush. Then after her belt, the skirt portion of the one piece dress became vertical stripes of lavender blush and plum. Lastly, she wore a headband with a little bow on top. Indeed, she did look pretty today, with an allusion of cuteness.

Finally, Kamei awakened from his pleasant slumber. Pulling the magazine off his face, he leaned his head back to glance up at Iori. "What's with all the yelling?" His eyes were partially open.

Immediately, Iori pushed down on her skirt, and a rosy red blemish appeared on her cheeks. "P-Pervert! Super pervert! Ultra pervert! How dare you!" Believing that Kamei was looking up her skirt, she attempted to hit him with a downward smack, but Kamei unknowingly dodged her attack when he stood up on the sofa.

Kamei looked at her quizzically. "What are you doing?" His voice was low and fatigued. He was either pretending not to know what she was speaking about, or was actually oblivious on what he had done.

Then, a young woman, standing adjacent to Iori, interrupted them. "Oh my. I'm sure it was simply a misunderstanding, Iori-chan." Here tone was kind and soft.

Azusa only wore a one piece dress and court shoes, but she seemed to stand out more with her appearance. Her sleeveless, Kitty Folye-style dress was long, reaching down to her knees. It was also fully shaded with a non-photo blue and fastened securely with a thin rope around the hemline. She looked absolutely gorgeous for wearing something very simple, but the dress reflected on her maturity as a woman.

Kamei stretched his arms out and released a long, deep yawn from his throat. He closed his eyes and laid back on the couch. "Ehya… I'm still tired… Give me five more minutes and I'll be good to go."

Azusa frowned, becoming emotionally upset for several occasions. Mainly, she was distressed that Kamei was not taking his role seriously. These dilemmas filled her mind, but she tried her best not to show her distastefulness. Instead, she superseded them with the absence of her producer.

"Oh my… but Ritsuko-san is not here," she said.

He apathetically asked her without budging his body or opening his eyes. "Who?"

Angered by Kamei's insolence, Iori stomped her foot down. "Ritsuko-san! Who else?" "And the Producer is too busy right now! Shachou left you in charge of us!" Her voice was loud as a taiko drum.

"You know… screaming won't do you any good to enhance your voice," Kamei said, claiming a discernable point. He did not bother to focus his eyes on Iori, which was the same action he initiated on Azusa.

Iori turned away in a huff, crossed her arms, and pouted. "I-I know that already! Honestly… Can't you say anything else that _isn't _obvious?"

Kamei paused momentarily. The only thing he can think of is Iori's forehead. But when he contemplated that physical feature, he recalled a memory when Miki called Iori by her nickname. "…Forehead-chan?" He was looking up at the ceiling with his opened, bright aquamarine eyes.

Humiliated, Iori glared at him icily in a malevolent manner. "Don't call me that! I can't believe I'm saying this, but only _Miki_ can call me by that name!" She was about to pop a vein.

The other young girl Ami, who had been watching the scene the entire time, finally decided to step in and defend her good friend. "Bummy-san! Stop being mean to Iorin!"

For Ami, she wore a plain white T-shirt with a squared pattern at the chest area, and an iris blue jog bra underneath. She also wore lemon yellow trousers with field drab brown suspenders annexed, navy blue stockings, and high-top sneakers. Her current style seemed fairly simple, but looked decent on her.

Kamei lowered his head until his eyes were covered by the shadows. _Now I have an unpleasant and unwelcoming sobriquet of my own… but I guess I deserve it… _he thought with an emotionless grin.

After a short moment, Kamei looked at them. "Oh, right, sorry." His answer was a quick but impassive response.

It nearly sounded as if he was actually ridiculing her purposely. Of course, he never intended to do so. But it was expected from a laid-back guy like him.

"Just shut up!" Iori said.

A long silence stirred in the living room, and no one uttered a sound. The only noise that could be heard was the constant ticking from the clock and the steady circulation of the air conditioner.

Kotori, who was at the meeting room, had been eavesdropping on their blusterous and unfavorable conversation for a short time. She had recently finished with the paperwork on her desk. Therefore, she was browsing 2chan on the computer. Her only response to the situation was a sigh of condolence.

_Akimoto-san is not doing well is he? _She laughed was the mental conception she had in her mind.

The awkward quietness continued to linger, and started to permeate the entire third floor of the building, until Iori finally said something in loud, authoritatively mandating tone. "We're wasting time! Let's go!"

Iori expected an answer from her fellow members, especially from Kamei, but she received nothing but another odd silence. Then, she heard a light thud, followed by snoozing. Surprised, she turned around and witnessed Kamei napping on the sofa again.

Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance, and her patience was about to run dry. "Y-You useless…"

She paused before raising her voice in acrimony. "Hey! Wake up!" she said, her tone loud and furious enough to startled Azusa, Ami, and Kotori.

When Iori stopped to catch her breath, Kamei awakened from the shortest nap he ever had and rose up on the sofa. He yawned softly and looked at her. "…Is there something you need from me?" He seemed to have forgotten his task to accompany the girls.

Iori became astonished, shocked by Kamei casual demeanor. He was hired to become their co-producer and yet, he was not performing his job at the slightest. This thought truly made her exasperated, and she veraciously wanted to knock some sense into his brain.

"W-What's with you?" she said, barely able to restrain herself from blowing a circuit. "Of course I need something from you! I need _you_ to do your job!"

Azusa, slightly frightened by Iori's hot temper, attempted to console her. "Iori-chan, please calm down."

Ami looked at Kamei with a mischievous grin, and a hand under her chin. "Hm, hm, hm! Ami thinks that the job is too much for Bummy-san. That's why he's so lazy, and can't make any friends."

"Kamei-san, could you, perhaps, be more serious? Ritsuko-san called in sick today and the Producer is not here." She spoke to him as if he was a child and she was the mother, lecturing him. She hoped that Kamei would actually take his job seriously and temporarily co-produce them with her tone.

Kamei turned his glance to the black screen of the television. "…Hmm. I guess I could," he said reluctantly, his tone rather dull and sluggish.

"No way! Forget it!" She opposed the idea on having him as their substitute, not after his disrespectful behavior. "I don't want a lazy, good-for-nothing guy to run our produce! I rather have the Producer take over for Ritsuko-san!"

"…That was harsh," Kamei said, feeling a slight affliction. "If it will make you happy, I'll—."

Before he could complete his sentence, he was immediately interrupted by Iori's yelling. "Just forget it! You're so unreliable!"

She turned to Azusa and Ami. "Come on! We can do this by ourselves!"

Ami looked at her friend in high spirits! "We sure can! After all, we've done this before!"

Azusa seemed skeptical about the intention at first, but she remembered that they're in an idol unit. There were times when Ritsuko was absent. When the things do not operate in their favor, they can instantly turn the situation around, as long as they have each other and cooperate as a team.

She nodded and smiled warmly. "That's right. Ritsuko-san is counting on us. As long as we lend each other our strengths, we can really topple our problems."

"Nihihi~ All right everyone! Let's head out!" Iori said, replacing her anger with great pride. She had completely forgotten what she was agitated about.

Smiling, Iori proudly exited the living room and headed towards the entrance door of their production company. She was then accompanied by Azusa and Ami.

Before Azusa left, she turned to Kotori and asked her to transport them to their next scheduled event. Without a doubt, Kotori gladly complied with her request and escorted Azusa outside, leaving Kamei alone.

* * *

><p>Iori and her friends were inside Kotori's car, and were on their way to their event. It was a live musical recital that would be conducted in one of the popular locations, a place for general stage performances in Tokyo. During their short pilgrimage, Ami was playing a fighting game on her yellow PSP, while Azusa and Iori were silently focusing their attention on the road. Occasionally, Iori would be looking at Charles and inspecting any damage on her favorite bunny. As for Azusa, she would simply be contemplating on who would be her destined person, which was one of her usual habits.<p>

The atmosphere was unusually cold and quiet. To lighten the mood, Kotori turned on the radio and tuned into a music channel. When she dialed the switch to a certain position, a familiar and catchy song began to orchestrate through the speakers.

Kotori smiled brightly. "Hey! It's one of your previous debut songs!" The refrain she was referring to was Ryuuguu Komachi's first debut song, Smoky Thrill.

minarenai kanjou yureru shinkirou  
>koe te yuku umi wataru kaze WAIPU<br>sake wo amaku shinaide hoshii, to  
>hanpanai roku demo nai EGOISUTO<br>itameru nara ANTEIIKU ni nure

onna wa abireba fuuraibou  
>moteamasu namida<br>uwasa wo sureba kage ga sasu  
>hoshizora no UINKU<p>

daremo shiranai shinkai no BOODAARAIN  
>miwaku no Lover chase hajiku<p>

Listening to the lyrics, Kotori assumed that the song reached the eighth verse. She looked at Azusa, who was sitting adjacent to her. "That song is still quite a hit!"

Azusa smiled pleasantly, agreeing to Kotori's claim. "It is, isn't it?" She could not help but to giggle softly. "Ufufu~ Shachou and Ritsuko-san were really proud of us."

While looking at the window, Iori immediately joined the conversation. "Honestly… that is much like you. We should focus on the here and now."

Before she spoke another word, she paused momentarily to contemplate about the situation that their production company had gotten itself to. "More importantly, I am worried about the future of 765 Pro…" Now, she was saddened.

It was true that 765 Pro was slowly losing its reputation. Azusa could not discover the true cause, but she only had an assumption.

She sighed morosely, placing a hand over her cheek. "It's hard for me to say, but Iori-chan is right. I thought that hiring Kamei-san was the best choice on Shachou. But now…"

When Iori heard his name, she became slightly aggravated. "Hmph. What an excuse… I hold nothing against Shachou, but why did he choose a slacker?"

Ami pressed the pause button on her PSP, and looked at Kotori. "What should we do?"

Kotori sighed. "I'm not quite sure to be honest. If all else fails, then we will have to report to Shachou."

The three members nodded, as their vehicle drove away into the busy highway. Three weeks had passed since that conversation.

~End of Chapter~

**Note(s): **If there are any errors of certain types, please let me know. It is the same for the previous and upcoming chapters... nothing new.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	11. Chapter 10 A Meeting with Secrecy

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **There's another change of perspective, even though it's not saying much. This chapter only consists of two characters, disregarding the minor ones, and it is kept fairly short, no longer than 7 pages, in order to keep the original character from grabbing too much attention early in the story. It is slightly similar to** Chapter 8 In Capable Hands**, involving a different idol. The true revealing of this spoiler is a certain change of identity.**  
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**Note(s): **Depending on how well-received the character, Kamei, is he will remain as like every other character. In other words, sharing the spotlight without being greedy (which is best). There has to be a balance, which also depends on a character's role (major or minor).

There's not much to go on with the notes. If there's anything wrong with this chapter, let me know.**  
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Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 10 A Meeting with Secrecy**

Several days had elapsed; today was a Wednesday afternoon. The present time was 1:00pm, and no male or female were yet free from their mandatory activities. The only few, exceptional individuals in Japan that were unoccupied by such endeavors were those who had different schedules in their careers, or those who had nothing better to do.

One example of a person who seemed to be slacking was Kamei… He was strolling around the streets of Tokyo, regardless of his job at 765 Pro. Apparently, he was not planning to return to the music company until later around 4:00pm, which was the time when most of the idols return from school.

Shortly, he arrived at one of his desired locations, which was a famous restaurant that only allowed entry towards formal individuals, whether they have reservations or not. Kamei, somehow, managed to bypass the attendant by simply offering the name of a certain person working here. Once inside, he began his search for that certain someone.

"…Hmm. Where is that guy?" Kamei said, pondering. His tone of voice was soft due to the overwhelming noises of the guests.

As Kamei searched around the restaurant, someone at the lounge area happened to notice him. The man, currently facing a black grand piano, was unsure if the person he was looking at was someone he knew. But, the moment he noticed Kamei's Amaterasu hat, he instantly recognized him.

Hokuto smiled, rose up from his chair, and approached Kamei. "Kamei-senpai!" the man called over in an eager yet, calm tone.

Having heard his name, Kamei stopped his walking, turned around, and looked at the man facing in front of him. He became oblivious at first until he realized the blond man's identity.

"Oh, there you are, Hokuto. Working hard or hardly working?" he said, smiling nonchalantly.

The man, known as Hokuto, chuckled lightly before crossing his arms. "Aha…You haven't changed a bit, senpai."

Hokuto Ijuuin, the former member of Project Jupiter, and previous idol of 961 Productions. Like his other fellow members, he believed he would not find any more success in 961 Pro, which was his reason for departing from there. Despite his early retirement as an idol, he still maintained his composure, handsome appearance, and charming words, and utilized those features for his current career as a pianist and violinist for this restaurant.

Speaking of his appearance, he currently wore a plain white long sleeved shirt with only the first two buttons undone, black slacks and dress shoes. Since it was a restaurant protocol, he was also required to wear a dark vest and some sort of ascot with any color of his choice, on which he had chosen a cerulean blue. To top it off, he had his blond hair styled like a pompadour with some wax, and had cornflower blue eyes. His overall formal appearance could attract quite a crowd of women, hence his nickname the "Idol Prince."

Kame shifted his eyes away. "You're still calling me senpai? Even though, I have not done anything worthy of your appreciation? After all, you _are _the one who taught me how to play the piano."

Hokuto chortled a bit before smiling again. "Don't be so humble. You have more life experience than I. That's why I view you as my superior."

"…Hmm. I guess you have a point."

Kamei blinked his eyes a few times before kicking the idea out of his mind. Honestly, he never viewed himself as that kind of person and paid no attention to it. Rather, he simply allowed his peers to call him whatever they find pleasing.

Hokuto paused, and placed on a serious, yet friendly expression. "By the way… What brings you here?"

After a short moment of silence to himself, Kamei finally answered. "…To pay a visit to my friend, and have a few drinks together while we discuss about our recent successes."

He shifted his eyes to Hokuto, and smiled casually. "I hope you don't mind."

Hearing the offer, Hokuto smiled warmly. "Not at all. My next shift won't be until early this evening. I don't mind have a drink or two."

"Good answer. Let's go," Kamei said, immediately heading his way out of the restaurant.

Hokuto hastily followed after him. "You speak as if I had no choice."

"Don't I always?" he said, smiling pleasantly at him.

After a short while of strolling along the streets with Hokuto attracting intimate attention from young women, he and Kamei finally arrived at one of the local boutiques. The building they have entered was actually a pastry shop that served both sweet food and beverages. The kind of drinks that Kamei had in mind was smoothies.

When they entered through the entrance, the small bells hanging on the lintel collided with the door and rung. The jingling sound alerted the shop staff, inclining them to warmly greet their customers.

"Hello! Welcome!" one of the chefs said in an ardent, feminine tone. This woman, probably younger than the two men, was the assistant chef. Judging by her appearance, she mainly worked the cashier.

Hokuto smiled in return and, in attempt to make her heart flutter, replied in an Italian language. "Saluti, il mio piccolo fiore."

His endeavor succeeded, causing the young assistant to blush lightly in embarrassment. Although she did not understand his sentence, she was still entranced by the manner he elegantly expressed himself. It was only a second later had she realized Hokuto.

"Y-You're H-Hokuto-san, aren't you?" she said in a flustering, fan-girl behavior. "I-I can't believe it! I'm talking THE Hokuto-san from Project Jupiter!"

Kamei laughed joyously, much to his expectation. "Ah ha ha! Good work Hokuto. Hook, line, and sinker. Now it's time to reel her in."

As much as he wanted to, Hokuto had to decline his offer. The reason for this was because his very own heart was currently reserved for a certain someone. The supposed lucky woman he had always attempted to flirt with was the same person that Kamei knew. But he had yet to realize that unrequited love.

"My apologies," Hokuto said reluctantly. "…but we have more important matters to attend to… such as catching up some lost time in our friendship."

Kamei pretended to be oblivious of the situation by glancing at a couple that were eating some cake. "…Hmm. Good point," he said, avoiding eye contact.

Smiling again, Hokuto took a step forward and, this time, attempted a different action. "So, where were we? Ah, yes. I would like to order one green tea, please." The assistant chef was still awe-struck by Hokuto's appearance until Kamei stepped forward and snapped his fingers, returning her to reality.

She jerked her head and looked at them. "W-What? Oh, right! One green tea! Do you only want a cup, or a whole pot?"

"Hmm... I'll just have one cup," he said, answering.

Placing their orders and paying the assistant chef, Kamei and Hokuto waited patiently. After a few minutes, they received their beverages. Kamei politel thanked the woman through simple words, while Hokuto offered his own way of appreciation. He winked and waved goodbye at her, saying "Ciao." Then, he turned and accompanied his friend to a table.

Kamei became curious, having remembered that Hokuto was also an Italian speaker, and wanted to ask him something. "Those Italian lessons I recommended to you are _really_ paying off. What did you say to her?"

Hokuto smiled and cocked his head slightly. "Why… I said "Greetings, my little flower.'"

Shortly, they approached the side of the shop and sat on two tall chairs. They twirled and faced against a long table that was positioned next to a wide window. They had a perfect view of potted flowers at the other side of the window. As soon as they became comfortable, they began to enjoy their drinks.

None of them spoke a word, or mumbled a nonsensical jabber until Kamei, who was already sipping on his Boba smoothie, finally uttered something. "I am curious of you, Hokuto. Why do you degrade yourself in such simple tasks?" he said, keeping his eyes on the passing bystanders outside.

When Hokuto glanced at him quizzically, he noticed that Kamei was stirring his smoothie with the straw, attempting to poke the spherical jellies on the bottom of the cup.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Hokuto said, unable to decipher his statement.

After a moment of playing with his smoothie, he finally replied. "You were once an idol yourself, right? You have the capabilities to sway the ladies with your singing and dancing. Have you ever thought of returning to that role?"

Hearing this made Hokuto sigh in depression. "…I am not completely sure, to be honest. Ever since Project Jupiter disbanded, my fellow members and I decided to temporarily retire from music production and follow our own paths."

Regardless of this saddened emotion, he maintained his composure. "You _are _familiar with Project Jupiter, yes?" He asked because he was unsure if Kamei actually had any knowledge or had seen the unit.

"Never heard of it…" Kamei said immediately, speaking as though he was disinterested.

Hokuto sighed and shook his head slowly. "Well… it is to be expected. Our careers were short-lived after all." As much as he did not want to mention, he enjoyed his time in 961 Pro with his fellow idols, especially when he received much attention from the young women that were among the audience.

Kamei took a short moment to recollect his memories from the past and, after thinking about two certain male figures, managed to remember a moment. "…Hmm. I think I do remember a glimpse about the idol unit you were part of… There was that kid with the girly headband and that nerdy, nice guy who also acted like a jerk… Shouta Mitarai and Toya Amylase, right?"

Hearing the error of his friend's name, Hokuto could not help but to chortle and smile warmly. "Well… you got the name partially right." Usually, he would either pay no mind to these errors, or simply assist in correcting the name, but this was Kamei. He was obviously doing it on purpose.

Hokuto took a first sip of his black tea, before engaging in another topic. "How is my beloved and honest neko-chan?"

This statement made Kamei rather puzzled. "Hm, Who?" he said, mumbling and drinking more of his smoothie.

Hokuto paused and became a bit stunned. "Oh, pardon me for not considering the facts… Don't you work in 765 Pro?"

"Indeed, I do," Kamei said, nodding. "But I don't know who this "neko-chan" you speak of."

"Hmm… Perhaps, I should provide some hints." Hokuto prepared some useful information about the young woman he was referring to. "She's quite a dancer… and tomboyish-looking."

Receiving and processing the newly attained information, he remained still and recalled on his past memories of working in 765 Pro. After a moment, he finally placed the pieces together and figured out who it was. "Makoto Kikuchi, was it?"

"You got it," Hokuto said, nodding and waving his hand.

"Hmm… I guess she's alright. I can see the dancing and tomboyish features but… I don't understand how she's a cat." Kamei was completely stumped, having no idea on how Makoto had received such a nickname… or rather, how she was a cat instead of a human.

Hokuto uttered a hearted chortle, obviously having the time of his life. He was very amused by Kamei's dumbfounded demeanor and lack of understanding. "Ha ha ha! You still have much to learn about women… or perhaps you're doing it on purpose."

"Enlighten me, Hokuto. How come she has a peculiar nickname?" Kamei said, asking for verification.

"Well… she would occasionally put her hand over her chin and adjust her mouth to that of a cat's," Hokuto said, attempting to put his words into action.

"Aside from that, I have not talked with her much, actually… being a popular idol and all…" Kamei sipped another amount of smoothie into his mouth and gulped, before continuing. "She's not the only one. All of them are busy… leaving poor me in my lonesome."

Hokuto frowned, becoming doubtful. "Hm? That's not like them at all, especially Makoto-chan," he said worriedly.

"You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth." Kamei paused briefly.

"There's another thing I have to point out…" he said, looking and smiling at him. "I don't think they like me at all."

"What made you say that?" Hokuto said, suspicious of his nonchalant grin.

Hokuto never expected his own senpai to be disliked by the girls that he had once faced against in the Idol Academy competition two years ago. He had known them for being quite generous, hard-working, and honest young women. He could not understand why they offered such hostility towards Kamei.

Kamei shifted his glance away and shrugged his shoulders, taking another sip of his Boba smoothie. "I don't know…," he said, before changing his answer. "Actually… In a way, it's my fault. They see me as a lazy, ignorant, good-for-nothing bum…"

"Ehehe… Well, they're half right about your description," Hokuto said, laughing in slight glee.

After a long moment of silence, Kamei finally changed to a different subject. "I was thinking of quitting… stress and frustration don't really work with me."

"That simply won't do," Hokuto said immediately, shaking his head in disapproval. "You insisted on becoming part of 765 Pro, yes?"

Kamei turned his eyes the window and became silent again, lowering his head until the shadows covered his eyes. Shortly, he began to explain the situation in the production company as simple as possible.

"Whenever I speak to those girls, I would feel an incredibly eccentric sensation in the atmosphere," he said, taking another sip of his smoothie. "It was the kind of feeling that neither man nor woman would find pleasant."

When Hokuto heard Kamei's explanation, he wondered what he meant. He also noticed that Kamei became silent again. "Please continue… I am rather entranced by your elucidation."

"Stress and frustration… That is all." Kamei raised his head and glanced at his kohai, unveiling a grin. "Do you understand what I am trying to say?"

Hokuto nodded. "Yes, I truly understand. I'm surprised you noticed that." Then, he paused momentarily to place a hand on his chin. "It's no wonder their popularity had been dropping lately. What will you do… will you really quit your job?"

"…Hmm." Kamei sighed, and lowered his eyesight to the table. "To be specific, I'm going to quit my minor jobs and focus on the bigger picture."

"So that's why you told me to take over your gigs," Hokuto said, finally understanding Kamei's unusual and recent actions throughout the past month.

Kamei nodded. "Those girls… I know a few of them don't really like me. But they can't be blamed when under the influence of stress. I'm also at fault for not focusing. That's why I'm going to initiate a countermeasure."

"And what plan of attack is that?" Hokuto asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

Kamei chuckled lightly and smiled once more, glancing at Hokuto with his calmed and relaxed eyes. "That's a secret."

~End of Chapter~

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	12. Chapter 11 Stressful Dilemma

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **Now the readers will notice, yet, another change of perspective. This time it begins with the three popular females from a certain idol unit. Here, you should recognize a certain dilemma that is conflicting with more than just one person (Readers probably have already noticed already though. If that's the case, I apologize for repetition). Also, you will finally get a glimpse of a stage performance for once. After all, the series generally revolve around the girls' lives and careers.**  
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**Note(s):** There's not much to go on with the notes. This chapter has gone through editing and revision to tie in with the last chapter as much as possible.

I tend to make mistakes throughout the course of writing. I usually return to the chapters to fix them, but I can still be oblivious of other errors. If there's anything wrong with this chapter, let me know.**  
><strong>

Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 11 Stressful Dilemma  
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One morning on a Saturday, the Producer and his idol unit, Project Viola, were at Shinagawa in the Tokyo prefecture of Japan for a live concert festival. The show was scheduled to begin at 6:00pm, but there was a two hour interval. Therefore, they had ample time to spare before the actual performance.

Takane, Yayoi, and Mami were occupying the dressing room. The Producer was absent, since he was overlooking the preparations on the stage. The girls had yet changed into their outfits but were instead, they were speaking to each other.

"I was hoping for a day off so that I can play with Ami!" she said, complaining. Her voice was tinted with dismay. Despite being fifteen years old, she still acted like a child.

Since none of the idols had dressed yet, Mami wore a collarless sweater. The sleeves were rolled up, but the whole sweater was colored with a deep jaundice-yellowish like an Icterine Warbler bird. The sweater was also decorated with some orange-brown stripes and a ribbon-like insignia with a number fifty six on the upper left chest area. Underneath the sweater was a vertical stripe button up shirt that reached down to her hips. Lastly, she wore fitted jeans with the field drab brown shade of the US military camouflage gear, and warm mid brown converse.

"It cannot be helped, Mami. The Producer already had us scheduled for this concert. There is nothing we can do," Takane said, with her usually soft and refined tone.

For Takane, she wore a short sleeve blazer, shaded the color brown like a tree trunk, and a plain white button up shirt underneath it. Her shirt was also vertically striped and the sleeves were rolled up like Mami's. Lastly, she wore a black pleat skirt, headband, and court shoes. Her usual style definitely reflected on her personality… neither too extravagant nor too simple.

Mami hung her arms down and sighed joylessly. "I know… Nii-chan is making us do too much though! I'm getting tired!" She was flailing her arms like an agitated baby as she spoke. "I'll run out of energy and turn into slug!"

Hearing that last statement, Yayoi panicked a little. "A-Ah! Mami-chan! You need to eat plenty of protein and drink lots of water to keep your energy up!" Her usual behavior for expired coupons or food products also reflected on her worry for Mami.

Yayoi wore a light corn-colored sweatshirt. The pullover, cuffs, and stripes were shaded a reddish-rose. The stripes also wrapped around the abdomen and lumbar regions. Lastly, she wore a light teal jean skirt that had a mid-thigh hemline, anti-flash white stockings that covered most of her shins, and sneakers with the sole and heel sections colored a light peach.

Mami, having noticed Yayoi's anxiety, turned to her and smile in assurance. "Don't worry, Yayoicchi! I'll survive!"

While still on topic, Mami's stomach suddenly growled, causing her to blush lightly in embarrassment. "Ah! My stomach is craving food!" Then, she laughed, being accompanied by Takane and Yayoi afterwards.

"I don't believe the Producer had asked the crew here to prepare some refreshments for us," Takane said, having realized an important predicament.

She glanced around her surroundings, but found nothing that could replenish Mami's energy. "It is unusual for him to forget such a request."

Mami frowned, surprised to hear about the Producer's carelessness. "Eh? That can't be true!"

Yayoi jumped off from her seat, and smiled at them energetically. "I'll go and ask one of the crew members!"

She turned and rushed for the door. As soon as she was about to place hand on the knob, the door suddenly swung open. Stunned, she stumbled backwards and fell on her bosom with a thud.

"O-Ow…" she said, twitching slightly and rubbing her bottom gently.

The person responsible for the small accident was a crewman. "Ah! I'm sorry about that!" He was very apologetic, offering the fallen Yayoi a helping hand.

Yayoi shook her head and grinned. "Don't worry, sir! I'm okay!" She grabbed his hand, and then she pulled herself off the dirty floor.

"Sorry. Your Producer asked me to bring your costumes here." He stepped back, pulled the hanger cart towards them, and then placed it against the wall.

Clinging onto the horizontal metal pole, the hangers each contained the girls' matching stage outfits. They were all wrapped in safety plastic to protect from damage, dirt, lint, etc. Due to the relevance of the name, Project Viola, the Producer had chosen the floral design with the deep shaded colors of red and blue, and believed that it would be more suitable than the usual bright and lively yellow and green pattern.

Thrilled, Yayoi bowed respectfully at the crewman, swinging her arms all the way back. This exaggerating posture was another of her usual, adorable mannerism. "Thank you very much, sir!"

Before the crewman had the opportunity to leave the dressing room, Mami hopped out of her chair and faced him. She lightly clenched her hands near her chest, having the appearance like a peppy girl. "Did you prepare any food for us?"

Affected by Mami's demeanor, Takane gave her a rather strict stare. "Mami, that's a very rude way to address something."

Mami yelled. "A-Ah!"

She was startled by the eerie feeling emitting from Takane, but she knew that she was right. Lowering her head slightly, she frowned and placed her hands behind her back. "S-Sorry…"

When he heard her apology, he shook his head. "No sweat! Unfortunately, we had not prepared any refreshments for you. Sorry." With that, the crewman left the dressing room in a hurry. Apparently, he was busy with the preparations as well.

Mami's stomach growled again, but this time a little more ferociously. Then, she cried in despair. But she did not shed tears. "Ahhhhh! I need food for my belly! Or else I'll collapse like a used up battery!" Her shouting was loud like a child that was complaining for her toy.

"That's a peculiar usage of metaphor… but still understandable," Takane said, cocking her head slightly.

As Yayoi watched Mami plea for something deliciously edible, she thought of a suggestion that may solve her problem. "Um… if it will help, I can go buy some snacks for you."

When Mami heard the words "buy" and "snacks," she recalled a certain memory about a vending machine near the entrance to the concert. "That's it!"

She became excited and rushed out through the door, unconsciously ignoring Yayoi's offer. "Thanks Yayoicchi! I'll be back in a little while!"

Bursting through the door, she hurriedly departed from the dressing room, leaving Takane and Yayoi puzzled on what had just occurred.

Yayoi titled her head a bit to the side. "Um… Your welcome?"

* * *

><p>After taking a short detour in avoiding her fans, Mami arrived outside of the concert entrance. She was very fortunate that no one had discovered her during her trip, since it was apparent for admirers to locate them anywhere when keeping their eyes vigilant for idols. But like expiration dates, the moment will not last forever. Quickly, Mami scurried her way to the nearby vending machine.<p>

Reaching her destination, Mami examined all the various snacks and drinks that she may find appetizing. "Hm, hm, hm! I wonder what I should get?" she said with a mischievous smile.

Then, her stomach growled once more. "Wah! No time to be picky!"

Pulling out some yen, she chose her desired products and bought them. It took a brief moment for her bean cake and bottled milk to be vended, but she had obtained what she had wanted.

Sitting at a nearby bench, she began munching on her red bean cake with an ardent expression on her slightly stuffed face. "Hm? It tastes a little weird…" She shook the implication from her head and smiled again. "Nah! It's just my imagination!"

Shortly, she finished her small snack. She stood up from the bench, threw away the plastic and recycled the empty milk bottle. Satisfied, she initiated a miniature stretching exercise, and sighed.

"That was good! I'm powered up again!" Due to her loud tone, she attracted nearby young girls.

"Ah! It's Mami-san!" one of the girls yelled.

Mami became surprised, and turned to where the voice originated. "Oh no! Time to boogie!" Circling around, she rushed back to the dressing room. Her fans chased after her in screaming fandom.

The small walkway became silent, until it was shortly interrupted by the revving of a fairly large vehicle. The truck was smaller than the actual tractor that usually pulled a large and long freight rig. It was one of those vehicles that carried a refrigerated trailer.

When the truck stopped next to the walkway, a man emerged out of the driver's seat and headed to the side of the trailer. He pulled a small cart from the side, opened the compartment of the trailer, and transferred two boxes onto the cart.

Pulling the cart, he faced the vending machine. "I better exchange all of these with the fresh ones. It's sad that food can expire." The driver opened the vending machine and exchanged the expired red bean cakes and other snacks with fresh ones.

* * *

><p>Time had elapsed until the moment arrived. It was around 6:00pm, the hour for the Producer's idol unit to appear in front of their beloved admirers. The trio had already dressed into their stage outfits and was ready to perform. Before the girls could reveal themselves under the spotlight, they first rendezvoused with the Producer.<p>

"Alright girls! You know the drill!" the Producer said, grinning and speaking with an upbeat tone.

The girls nodded. "Yes, Producer!" Takane and Yayoi replied in unison.

"We'll do our best, Nii-chan!" Mami said, saluting to him.

"As much as I don't want admit, but we cannot afford a mistake here! Not after that last one from the week before!" the Producer said, sounding as if he was a lecturer.

Takane, Yayoi, and Mami became silent, looking away from the Producer in shame. Indeed, they had committed an error in their last performance, and do not want to discuss it. They had been idols for a long time, but every music artist made mistakes every now and then.

However, the Producer could not tolerate any more blunders, since 765 Pro was currently under an undesirable situation. He needed them to continue working and succeeding in their careers. Otherwise, he would have no other option but to end their contract. That's how business ran.

Takane gave him a slightly hurtful look. "…I do not mean to impose, but it would've been best if you did not bring up our past fault the moment before our performance. That would only bring our enthusiasm down." Even her voice sounded sorrowful.

Stunned, the Producer stuttered and took a step back. "Ah… R-Right…"

_Crap… I wasn't thinking… I guess I'm just frustrated that our sales are not going as we expected… _

He sighed, and contemplated on some encouraging words. "Anyways! Just do your best!"

The girls nodded once more before walking to the stage, which was now dark from the lack of spotlights.

Suddenly, Mami froze on her tracks. Placing a hand on her abdomen, she twitched in slight agitation. "A-Ah… What was that?"

Yayoi, having noticed her friend lagged behind, approached her. "Mami-chan! Are you okay?"

Mami glanced at her, and smile. "Yeah! I'm okay! Nothing can stop Mami!" She winked, and started pulling Yayoi by the hand towards the stage. She completely ignored the spasm she felt from her gut.

On stage, the girls of Project Viola positioned themselves apart from each other to prepare for the song they were about to perform. The audience's cheer slowly diminished until the atmosphere became quiet. The trio attained the cue. The composition, Little Match Girl, commenced, and the trio began to dance.

Can you heat it up  
>at frozen night like a Little Match Girl, yeah<br>Kiss me and burn it up  
>When I look into your heart<p>

Osanai koro no chiisana PEEJI

Daremo ga yume miteru ima mo

Otona ni narezu koboeta hibi wa

Shiawasesou ni nemutteru

Nani mo miataranai

Shiroi iki dake ga mabushiku

Kaze ni fukareta fuku wo

sotto sasaete

The song continued until the duration reached halfway. Takane, Yayoi, and Mami had done well up until now, and must maintain the situation from going wrong. But as soon as they were able enter the next verse and dance step, the melody suddenly stopped, like a phone call being cut off.

When the trio heard no music, they ceased from dancing, and wondered what had gone wrong. The sudden silence also had the audience basking in puzzlement.

To solve this dilemma, the Producer scurried down the nearby stairs and headed for the audio room, which was positioned on the opposite side of the stage.

Once there, the Producer entered through the door and approached the audio engineer. "What happened?" he said loudly, taking deep breaths as if he had recently ran a mile.

The engineer turned to him. "It seemed to be equipment failure."

"Can you fix it?" the Producer said, asking in hopes of receiving a good answer.

The engineer shook his head. "I'm not a mechanic but I can try to figure out the cause of the problem." He turned back to the front, and began to examine his equipment. "If anything… I'll call an actual mechanic."

"This is not good…" the Producer said, sighing in despair.

To make matters worse, the audience gasped loudly without warning, stunning the Producer. He peered through the window that overlooked the front area and, much to his to shock, discovered Mami kneeling down painfully. Overwhelmed by what he was witnessing, he exited the audio room and returned to the stage.

"Mami-chan! Are you okay?" Yayoi said, fearing the life of her beloved friend. She was nearly shedding tears.

Twitching, Mami slowly glanced up at her and smiled. "Y-Yeah… It's just a cramp…"

As soon as she finished, the pain accumulated. She twitched again, and clenched her teeth as she firmly held her abdomen. "Ow, ow… It hurts…"

"Mami… could it be that you have eaten something you should not?" Takane said. She was maintaining her composure as much as possible while trying not to reveal her anxiety.

Mami gazed at the floor. "W-Well… The red bean cake I ate tasted weird…" Feeling ashamed, she braced herself for the incoming lecture that she was sure to receive from her friends.

"Ah! Mami-chan! You ate an expired red bean cake, didn't you?" Yayoi said. "You know you can't eat food that's past its expiration date!" This was her usual nature to overreact whenever the situation involved expired products.

Takane glanced at her. "Yayoi, let's bring Mami back to the dressing room."

Nodding, she and Takane helped Mami off the floor and escorted her. As soon as they walked down the stairs and entered the backstage area, they were approached by the troubled Producer.

"Mami! What happened?" he said, yelling with exaggeration.

Hearing her name, Mami looked at him. "S-Sorry, Nii-chan… My gut is being all weird, but it really hurts…"

"I see…"

Takane glanced at him. "Producer, will you allow her to recuperate?"

The Producer paused. He wanted to object to her request as he wanted an immediate explanation. But looking at Mami's injurious expression on her face made him withdraw. Granting her permission, he nodded.

Before long, they were already inside the dressing room, accompanied by the Producer. With Yayoi brewing herbal tea, the Producer spoke to Mami.

"Alright, Mami. Perhaps, you can explain to me about your abnormal behavior on stage," he said with a strict tone. Despite his demeanor, he was still worried about Mami.

When Mami noticed his stern voice and stare, she looked away shamefully. "Well…" She began to elucidate without causing complications for the Producer, and without allowing the spasm to overtake her.

* * *

><p>It was later in the evening; the time was now 9:00pm. Kamei was basking in the partial emptiness of the office of 765 Pro, reposing his bottom on the chair where the Producer sat. He was revolving the swivel chair slowly, as if he was some child who had nothing better to do. There were idol applications in his hands. Kotori had asked for his assistance, but his mind was accumulating with apathy.<p>

"This is rather dull…" Kamei said in a low, reluctant voice. "Somehow, this part of the job makes playing the piano during a vocal session seems almost fun."

Kotori, who would usually chastise someone for not performing an obligation felicitously, could not help but to giggle lightly. "Come on, Akimoto-san. Don't you want to earn everyone's trust and respect?"

Dropping the last employment form on the desk, Kamei stood up and walked towards the living room. While pacing, he continued to speak to Kotori. "Of course… But at this rate, I won't even get a portion of the size of a pea."

"Maybe, you just need the right motivation and proper focus," she said.

"…Hmm. Good point."

Then, the entrance door opened, and four people entered the room. Kotori twirled her chair around and, with Kamei, looked at them. The individuals in front of them were none other than the Producer and his idol unit. It seemed that they had just returned from a scheduled event.

Kotori rose up and offered a generous smile. "Oh! Everyone! Welcome back!"

Instead of returning her a heartwarming greeting, the Producer and his unit gave a depressing sigh. Their saddened expressions and droopy bodily movements caught Kotori by surprise.

"Eh? W-What's wrong?" she said, her voice tinted with worry.

Takane, Yayoi, and Mami entered the living room and sat down the soft comfortable couches. As for the Producer, he crossed his arms and sighed in anguish. "The mini-concert festival didn't go as planned…"

Kotori became more stunned, her eyes widening in fear. "N-No way! Why?"

"Few reasons… There were equipment failures, and Mami became ill afterwards. This was not a good day…"

Mami clasped her hands together, hid them between her thighs, and looked at the Producer with sulky eyes. "I-I'm sorry, Nii-chan. I even felt like throwing up…"

The Producer sighed in slight agitation. "What did I tell you about eating expired food? You need to take better care of yourself. You're a famous idol."

"I-I'm sorry Nii-chan…" she said once more, before lowering her head in shame.

Yayoi, feeling the same impression as Mami, turned and consoled her. "Don't worry, Mami-chan. It's not your fault." In an attempt to cheer her up, she smiled and gave her an offer. "How about I go make some soup for you?"

Mami glanced at her friend, and weakly smiled in return. "O-Okay. Thanks, Yayoicchi."

When Yayoi left to the kitchen, Kamei looked at the Producer. Having witnessed the rather cold conversation between him and his idol, he stepped in to assure the situation.

"Take it easy, Producer. I'm sure she had a long day," he said, placing his hands into his vest pockets.

The Producer looked at him. "This is not funny business. I hate to say it but we cannot allow keeping idols that cannot remain on top."

"Hold on… Even if Mami was sick, I am sure Takane and Yayoi could have performed without her," Kamei said, pointing out a reasonable suggestion.

Immediately, Takane stood up from the sofa, turned around, and stared at Kamei with fiery stare. "That simply cannot do, Kamei-san. We were chosen by the Producer for a reason, to formulate an unstoppable team of three members. We were composed as three, and we will perform as three."

Kamei turned his head slightly, and looked away. "…Hmm. Good point. It's kind of like a symbiotic relationship. When one falls, the other goes with it."

Takane felt a slight pain in her heart. She was affected by the way how Kamei expressed her own explication in a simpler but more intimidating way. Just contemplating it made her fingers twitch. However, it was true.

"That… is a strange way to put it, Kamei-san…" she said, softening her tone.

"But that doesn't explain the equipment failure," Kotori said, reminding everyone of the situation.

At first, Kamei seemed very oblivious about the subject until he realized something crucial that could have settled that problem. Reaching into his vest pocket, he extracted a cell phone annexed with a strap that had the Pokemon, Slaking, on it. He flipped it open, and checked his voicemails, text messages, and missed calls.

"…Hmm. It's no wonder my cell phone kept vibrating like an annoying bumblebee," Kamei said, appearing very casual and carefree. Then, he thought to himself. _As much as I wanted to, I cannot perform that job anymore…_

"W-Wait a minute… Are you telling me that the mechanic they were trying to contact was _you_?" The Producer's tone of voice was tinted with aggravation.

Kamei turned his eyes away again, and then looked at the Producer with a nonchalant smile. "More or less... None of that matters much now, does it?"

The Producer became disgruntled, never having experienced this kind of feeling before. He believed that he finally understood what his idols were trying to express about Kamei. He wanted to punch him in the face for his irresponsibility, but he restrained himself. Resulting to violence will not solve anything. Instead, he handled it professionally in a clean manner.

"In a way… it's partially your fault… If you were there then the show wouldn't had to be cancelled… Why aren't you feeling any remorse about this? This is the future of 765 Pro we're talking about!" the Producer said, his voice rising in tension again.

"…I know," Kamei simply said.

Then, he thought to himself. _Producer... I guess I should've told you about my decision._

"You know, but why aren't you doing anything besides the renovation project? I thought you said you are going to change this place into something 'big!"

"I did say that…"

Kamei paused, and then refocused his full attention on the Producer. "There are things that a man can and cannot do…but you won't be able to understand if you're allowing stress to cloud your mind."

The Producer became puzzled, but he did not have the patient to contemplate on his statement. "What do you mean?"

As soon as the Producer asked his question, Kamei walked past the Producer and his idol unit, and proceeded towards the door. "The time will come when the answer you seek will reveal itself… much sooner than you think." With that, Kamei turned around and walked towards the entrance door. Opening the door, he departed from the room.

"W-Who… Who the heck does he think he is?" The Producer did not appreciate Kamei's casual demeanor. What really annoyed him was how Kamei simply walked away without any worries.

Takane approached him. "Producer… He does not have any motivation to perform his job effectively."

Mami managed to glance up at the Producer and say something. "Nii-chan… I think that Bummy-san is too busy with the renovation project as well," she said, her tone of voice cracking lightly. She still had trouble speaking due to her illness.

The Producer processed their statements into his mind, and crossed his arms. "I know about that but still… his influence isn't exactly…"

"Everyone seems to view Kamei-san as bum… he even acts like one," Takane said, changing the subject slightly. It had only been a short stay but everyone caught a glimpse on Kamei's behavior as well as his reluctance to perform his job.

With that, he focused on a different matter. "I am still skeptical about what he said earlier…What is he trying to say?"

Takane, having figured out the hidden message, answered. "I believe he was referring to you Producer. He does have a point… You have not been your usual self lately."

The Producer sighed, having realized his own fault. "I guess you're right… I'm just so stressed out that we're not getting as much sales. I need to talk to Shachou about our overall progress when given the chance."

~End of Chapter~

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	13. Chapter 12 Worrisome Expectations

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **This chapter occurs in the same day from the last chapter. After a while of separating characters into different chapters, everyone has a little reunion here to... let out some steam. It's best you read to find out more on what I am trying to elucidate. **  
><strong>

**Note(s):** There's not much to go on with the notes. This chapter has gone through editing and revision to tie in with the last chapter as much as possible.

I tend to make mistakes throughout the course of writing. I usually return to the chapters to fix them, but I can still be oblivious of other errors. If there's anything wrong with this chapter, let me know.

Yeah, this is pretty much copied and pasted notes. I don't know what else to inform that are important.****

I am also open for suggestions that will make this fanfic more sound and interesting. Please be sure to review. I'll gratefully appreciate it.**  
><strong>

Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 12 Worrisome Expectations**

A few hours had passed until it was 10:00pm. The rest of the idols had recently returned from their scheduled events and were currently resting. Half of the bunch was at the living room while the rest were inside the reading room. As the producers, they were at their office, speaking with each other about a certain mishap that happened earlier.

"I see… That's very unfortunate for your unit." Ritsuko had her hand over her mouth, with the other under her elbow, posing as if she was having a thought. But she looked very somber, and had the same impression as the Producer.

"Well… it's not that bad, right?" the Producer said, asking for assurance.

Ritsuko nodded, and smiled in assurance. "Of course! After all, it's only one event." Then, she gave the Producer a serious stare, and continued with a strict tone. "If it's more than one… then that's a different story. You didn't happen to _miss _two or three events, have you?"

The Producer, stunned by Ritsuko's tone of voice, shunned himself away from her in defense with an arm over his chest. "N-No! Of course not!"

He was incorrect though. The mini-concert was cancelled due to the problems, and his unit, indeed, missed a few. He could not help but to react in such a way. He sometimes considered Ritsuko a frightening person whenever she was serious.

"Hmm…" Ritsuko paused, and scrunched her eyes to have a better focus on the Producer. As soon as the Producer began to feel awkward, she instantly smiled. "Good! Keep it up!"

"U-Um… yeah!" the Producer said, smiling in return.

He started to laugh nervously. Unknowingly, his laughter grew more intense to the point of sounding like a sinister villain. He even raised his head along with his exaggerated gesture. Apparently, he tried too hard to hide his frightened demeanor.

Then, the Producer was suddenly assaulted from behind by one of the young female idols. "Ami kick!" Ami's properly executed pose resulted in a successful attack, just like a professional martial artist.

"Gah!" The Producer stumbled forward, with a shocked expression on his face.

Then, the kick was followed by a straight uppercut from another idol. "Mami Punch!" Like her sister, Mami carried out a triumphant assault. But this time, Mami posed as if she was a professional boxer.

"Oof!" The Producer, being struck under his chin, flew upward with his feet lifting off the floor. As soon as he reached the highest point of elevation, he descended downward and smacked onto the hard surface below him with a loud thud.

Immediately after he hit the floor, Ami turned around and began counting numbers in ascending order. She was throwing her fingers down each time she tallied, looking like a referee in a boxing tournament.

When Ami counted to two, the Producer instantly rose up and sat on the floor. He raised his head and stared at the twins with an aggravated expression on his face. "Hey! What did I tell you about attacking me out of random?"

Mami quickly revolved and faced the Producer. "But Nii-chan! You were laughing like an evil villain!" Regardless of her worried tone, she was still being very enthusiastic.

After regaining his composure, the Producer ascended from the floor, and swept his business suit. Then, he glanced at the twins with a bitter stare. "What you two did was not very funny." His tone was unusually strict, which Ami and Mami happened to notice.

The twins, ashamed of the action they had committed, frowned and lowered their heads in an apologetic manner. "Sorry, Nii-chan," they said unison.

One of the other female idols, Azusa, approached him. "Oh my… Producer, aren't you being a little too strict with them? You should relax."

It was rare for her to become aggravated. Indeed, the twins' action were not approved but she was friendly and heartwarming; therefore, her reason for behaving this way.

She was wearing a loose, long sleeved shirt that was colored like a thistle plant, with a black tie-on bra underneath. The shirt had a small rose corsage attached on her right chest, and was tucked under her calf-length trousers, which was shaded a pale cream-brown like an Isabelline Shrike bird. Lastly, she wore a belt that was red like molten lava, and high-heeled sandals.

The Producer looked at her. "Perhaps, I am… but that does not mean they should do whatever they please now that they are popular idols. It's no good that they missed appointments."

Azusa empathized on what he was trying to express. She placed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head slightly. "Well, that's true…" Her voice faded and she remained silent. The Producer spoke the truth and yet, she still believed that he was being unusually strict.

Then, the Producer shifted his attention to Ritsuko, reestablishing their previous conversation. "Come to think of it… Ryuuguu Komachi missed a few events too, didn't they?"

When Ritsuko heard this, she immediately and hesitantly shook her head. "A-Ah! I don't know what you're talking about!" she said, waving her hands while attempting to cover those unpredicted outcomes.

The girls from the living room had been watching the scenario long before they changed the subject. They were all affected by the Producer's harsh tone and how he handled the situation. There were few that wanted to speak in defense of Ami and Mami, but were afraid of the consequences they may receive.

"Honey… He's not really acting the same as he used to…" The girl that was sorrowfully and hurtfully referring to the Producer by a certain nickname was Miki.

She was wearing simple yet, stylish clothing. Her attire consisted of an asparagus green T-shirt with a baby blue stripe around the chest and a Prussian blue tight jeans. Reaching from the knees to her ankles, the jeans are fairly wide and loose, similarly like disco pants. There were also tears on the right thigh and left knee sections, which were part of the fashion. To securely fasten them, she wore a cardinal red belt with a silver buckle. It was decorated with lime-green hearts on both sides. Lastly, she wore comfortable sandals.

There was a girl next to Miki. When that girl, Hibiki, witnessed the Producer's behavior, she could not help but sigh and shake her head in disapproval.

"Producer is really uptight," she said, before turning around and placing her bottom back on the couch. "Geez… they were only trying to have fun."

For Hibiki, she wore a white polo shirt without cuff, fading chartreuse yellow Capri pants that only reached down to the shins and sandals with thin straps. There was also a carrot orange cloth wrapped securely around her waist and knotted at her right hip, acting like a belt. Here only accessories were her bracelets on her left wrist and earrings that are nearly the size of medal awards. Regardless of her feminine appearance, she also had the tomboyish look like Makoto.

Miki looked at her. "Even though it's Honey, Miki still agrees with you."

Although the upcoming thought was irrelevant to the twin's situation, she spoke about it anyway. "Honey doesn't even spend time with Miki as much." Frowning, she lowered her head. "It makes Miki really sad…"

Hibiki returned the glance. "Hey, Miki. We're talking about the twins."

Miki's expression became distressed, narrowing her eyebrows. "Miki knows that but she's just stating another problem!" she said, looking like a girl that had not received her weekly allowance.

Shrugging her arms, Hibiki said, "I guess." Besides Miki's supposed intimate relationship with the Producer, she happened to notice that his usual friendly communication skills are lacking. "Then again… Producer-nii doesn't seem to notice us as much."

The duo was then joined by another girl that was sitting in front of them. "I don't mean to be rude but…he's not the only one. Ritsuko doesn't pay attention to us either," she said, whispering and having her hand next to her mouth.

The girl that murmured to them was Makoto. She was dressed a little more femininely, wearing a sleeveless, spaghetti strap blouse with a white short sleeved shirt. The blouse was layered from the stomach down to the midsection of the abdomen. The first layer was colored with particular shade of cool blue that cannot be detected by graphic arts cameras, the second was a warm shade of Azurite, and the last was navy blue. Lastly, she wore black Capri pants and, chick yellow ballet flats.

Hibiki glanced at her. "You're right about that too."

The next girl, Haruka, intruded into their conversation. "It's not too bad, right? I mean… Producer-san is focusing on Takane-san, Yayoi, and Mami … while Ritsuko-san has her attention to Azusa-san, Iori, and Ami. So of course, they'll be too busy for us."

She seemed to be wearing a polo shirt with the color of an Amaranth plant, black jean skirt and socks that reached up to her shins, and carmine red slip-on shoes. Her clothing was rather simple, but the concept reflected on her physical appearance as a normal girl.

"Well, you do have a point there…" Makoto said, crossing her arms as she initiated a brief but deep contemplation about it. "But then again… they don't always stay for a time. Not even for 5 minutes."

"Could it be… Is it because we're not capable of performing as idols anymore," the timid girl, Yukiho, asked quizzically with a soft, afflicted tone. She was misunderstanding the situation, but she could not help but to reveal hints of tears that were emerging out of her eyes.

Yukiho was wearing only two pieces of her entire outfit, including her slip-on shoes. Her body was fitted by a white Kitty Foyle dress that reached down to only her knees. The cuffs, buttons, and outlines of her collar and hemline were shaded a light, sky blue. The dress also had a simple design. The sleeves were short and puffy. Her collar was a little oversized, but does not frame around her neck; it lay near her shoulders. When she stands, the skirt portion of the dress was slightly spread apart and shaped like a bell. Her attire was simple and innocent-looking, but it reflected on her personality.

Noticing that Yukiho had reverted to her feeble behavior, Makoto immediately consoled her. "H-Hey, Yukiho… It's not like that. We all just have overbooked schedules."

"But I wonder about that…" Hibiki said, leaning back on the sofa and looking diagonally at the ceiling. "We practice hard each day and attend as many events on our schedules. And yet…"

"We seemed to be dropping in popularity and 765 Pro is not earning as much as it should," Makoto added.

Yukiho pondered a bit before looking at her friends again. "Maybe… we're trying too hard or… not trying hard enough?"

Hibiki shrugged her shoulders. "It's hard to notice when Producer-nii and Ritsuko are not there to supervise us and fix our schedule. Even Kotori is too busy in the office."

"It's just one problem after another," Makoto said, sighing afterwards. "And speaking of problems, I've noticed that we rarely have off days."

Yukiho placed a hand on her chest and said, "I don't mind going to events with all of you but… it's hard to keep up when so much is going on…"

"That's why Shachou hired Akimoto-san, right?" Haruka asked.

When Hibiki heard his name, she grunted with strong detest. "Hmph… Well, Shachou made a big mistake on that. He's a jerk!"

Then, another girl joined the group discussion and added a noteworthy complaint. "He's so useless as a co-producer!" she yelled, supporting Hibiki in the protest. The rather clamorous voice transpired from none other than Iori.

She wore a white button up shirt, with only the collar and cuffs shaded purple, and a black A-line skirt. The skirt hung firmly from her stomach region and reached below to where the head of the thigh bone laid. Due to the hemline not being long, she seemed to be wearing shorts under. Lastly, she wore black stockings that stretched just above her knees and high top shoes which were colored like her cuffs and collar. Despite her interest for luxurious fashion, she still had a taste for some casual wear.

"I don't mean to interrupt your conversation, but since we have the same opinions then please, allow me to speak my mind… Akimoto-san is completely ignorant," another girl said in a formal tone.

This girl, Chihaya, seemed to be wearing an eggplant purple colored t-shirt over her button up shirt, which was shaded with a pale tint of azure. She also wore Capri pants that reached above her ankles and, lastly, brown topsider shoes. In a way, she had the tomboyish look, but she paid no mind to it, for she was indifferent about how people view her appearance.

"To be frank, I have nothing against him as a renovator. But he has no skill whatsoever as our co-producer. It is not impossible to perform both roles when using valuable time appropriately. Taking that role is an absolute mockery in music production." The young woman, Takane, was speaking in a similar tone as Chihaya.

Like Yayoi and Mami, she was wearing her outdoor clothes earlier in the day.

"Honestly, I don't think he knows a single thing in producing," Iori said, crossing her arms and looking away. "If Shachou really wanted a capable and responsible man, then he could've looked in a better place."

Listening to these various complaints about Kamei, Haruka began to wonder. Like some of her friends, she had nothing against him. But she wanted to know why they disliked him with such intensity. Briefly in deep thought, she looked up to the right with finger pressed next to her eye.

"Aren't you being a little too harsh about Akimoto-san?" she said, revealing her infamous "nonowa" expression.

Iori stared at her in detest. "Don't tell me you like him?" she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh, no! It's not like that!" she quickly said, shaking her head and hands in denial. "It's true that he does these kinds of things… napping during the day, falling asleep during practices, and avoiding participation in our appointments… but I'm sure he's not doing it on purpose."

"You're right…" Iori paused for a moment to reorient Haruka's statement. "He's _definitely_ doing it on purpose! I mean, he did not have to take the job as renovator you know!" she said, yelling out loud again.

Before it could become uncontrollable, Ritsuko stepped in to cease the commotion. "Hey, Iori! You're being too loud!" She never bothered to interrupt until now since she first thought that they could handle it in a professional way.

Iori paused, and then turned away. "Hmph. Fine, I understand. But it cannot be helped when we share the same frustration." She gave a quick glance to Ritsuko and said, "Don't tell me you have nothing against Akimoto-san too?"

When she pitted that question against her, Ritsuko hesitated a little. Even her voice stuttered a bit. Adjusting her glasses, she shifted her eyes away. "Well… I cannot say exactly that I approve of his behavior…"

Ritsuko admitted that fact about Kamei was true, but after discussing something with the Producer, she was unsure about the other facts about him. "But he seemed to be more focused on something."

"Focused on what?" a voice said suddenly without warning.

Frightened, Ritsuko quickly turned herself around. As soon as she glanced up at the man behind her, she recognized who he was. "Ah! Shachou!"

The man, President Takagi, smiled gleefully. "I did not mean to scare you Ritsuko-kun, but I was wondering about the commotion outside my office."

"O-Oh… Well, about that… Ehehe…" Ritsuko was unable to properly express the situation because the topic involved Kamei. She knew how much President Takagi trusted him since they were good friends… according to him.

When President Takagi noticed her unusual behavior, he frowned. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick again?"

Ritsuko quickly shook her head. "N-No! It's not that... It's—."

Before she could elucidate, she was interrupted by the Producer. "It has something to do with our overall progress and… Akimoto-san," he said in a somber tone.

"Oh? Why so serious?" President Takagi broke from his speech to examine the Producer's facial expression. Unknowingly, he misunderstood the austere look, tone, and atmosphere and believed that the upcoming statements were positive.

"Could it be…?" Immediately, he started to chortle heartedly. "Ha ha ha! You don't have to inform me of his performance in 765 Pro."

"Eh? W-We… don't?" The Producer became overwhelmed with puzzlement. He was unable to decipher the meaning behind President Takagi's cackle and his last statement until he realized what he meant. "Wait, you mean… you already know?"

President Tagaki sighed in relief and smiled pleasingly. "Of course I know! He has been doing an excellent job here! If you know what I mean."

As soon as the producers heard that last sentence, they froze still in bewilderment and remained silent. The atmosphere inside the room became dreadfully cold, and President Takagi was attacked with poisonous glares; they were as sharp as needles that can pierce through thick skin when the tips were heated in a stove. President Takagi felt like he was about to have abdominal cramps.

"H-Hey now! What is all the negativity here all of a sudden?" he said quizzically, his voice beginning to stutter. "I-Is there something you want to say? I demand an explanation!"

Some of the female idols retracted their glares and looked at him apologetically. They never meant any harm to their president, but they could not help it. Just hearing him say "He has been doing an excellent job here" made them react instantly.

The producers glanced at each other before returning to President Takagi. "Well… it was about that last statement of yours…"

"I'll be very honest with you, Shachou," Ritsuko added, looking a little regretful. "Akimoto-dono is not specifically doing his job as co-producer. Our idols also do not favor his attitude."

"He's a jerk!" Hibiki said, blurting out.

Then, she was followed by Iori. "He's totally useless!"

After her, Chihaya joined the complaints. "Akimoto-san is ignorant," she said coolly, without raising her voice.

Lastly, Takane spoke her mind. "I don't mean to verbally express in negativity but… he truly cannot be count on."

Hearing the statements of disagreement about Kamei made President Takagi stunned. He did not expect the criticisms to be that dire and vulgar, especially from his beloved idols and co-workers. Maintaining his composure, he said something to them.

"Hmm… Is that so?"

The producers nodded, which happened to confirm President Takagi's expectations. Based on their opinions, he faced a decision. "I shall have a word with Akimoto-kun."

Suddenly, without warning, a voice answered from behind him. "You called, Shachou?"

Surprised, President Takagi turned to where the voice originated. He looked at the man, who was wearing his Amaterasu hat, and recognized him.

"Oh, Akimoto-kun! Right on time!" he replied with a warm smile.

The man, Kamei, emerged from the shadowy hallway, and returned the smile with a casual grin of his own. "Ah ha ha, how goes it?"

"You've given me quite a fright," President Takagi said, uttering a friendly cackle.

Kamei looked away with an oblivious expression. "Didn't mean to surprise you or anything but..." Then, he glanced at him and smiled. "I thought that'd make a cooler entrance than just, say, 'hiya.'"

"That, indeed, was _cool_!" President Takagi slapped a hand behind Kamei's back. "Keep practicing and you'll be just as good as me."

"You're enthusiasm is too much, Shachou," Kamei replied with a light chuckle.

Before their conversation became very heartwarming, they were interrupted by a cough that sounded from Ritsuko's throat. "Shall we refocus on the subject?"

President Takagi turned to her, puzzled at first on what she meant, until he remembered what they were discussing about. "Ah, yes!" He cleared his throat, and looked at Kamei with a serious demeanor. "Akimoto-kun, I would like to have an important discussion with you… in private."

When he recognized a sudden change of expression and voice, Kamei shifted his eyes away to avoid further visual contact. "…Hmm. I don't see anyone jumping to my defense on this one…" Returning his sight to President Takagi, he unveiled a pleasantly warm smile. "Alright, Shachou. Let's have this private conversation. Lead the way."

President Takagi nodded, and opened the door to his office. Taking the cue, Kamei entered the room, with President Takagi following inside afterwards. The last object everyone saw was the door closing.

The Producer crossed his arms, feeling rather doubtful of the president's planned course of action. "I have a strange feeling about this. Akimoto-san is being unusually obedient."

Unexpectedly, the discreet conversation between President Takagi and Kamei Akimoto was not particularly a long one. The duration was only around fifteen minutes.

When the time expired, the door opened. Emerging out of the office, Kamei entered the small hallway. His presence was immediately greeted by icy stares from a few idols, which made him feel a little uncomfortable. But he paid no mind to it. Instead, he returned the glances with a saddened smile.

"Sorry about that… I'll see you later." Then, he turned away and left the room.

As soon as the entrance door closed, President Takagi exited from his office. He glanced over at his co-workers and idols and smiled in relief. "Well, problem solved."

The producers approached him. "What do you mean?" Ritsuko asked. For a short discussion, it seemed too good to be true for the issue to be handled without effort.

"Well, he had not told me much but… he did tell me he will do better next time by doing something… beneficial."

Ritsuko crossed her arms and scrunched her eyes slightly in doubt. "That's rather hard to believe for Kamei stating that."

President Takagi sighed. "Accounting to all of the complaints… yes, it _is _hard to believe." Before Ritsuko could speak another word, he continued. "But… let's give Akimoto-kun another chance. If he fails to meet my expectations then I will relieve him of his duty without hesitation. Am I clear?"

The Producer became stunned. "But Shachou!—,"

"Am. I. Clear?" President Takagi repeated with a stern and heightened tone of voice. He was showing his superiority as the President of 765 Productions with his stare.

They were reluctant, but they had no choice. Agreeing, the producers nodded their heads. "Yes, Shachou," they said in unison, bowing their heads in respect.

President Takagi nodded and smiled. "Good. It's starting to get late. So please, head on home."

Taking his word, the idols and co-workers bowed to him and departed from 765 Pro. The only person that remained behind was the office clerk, Kotori. Even though President Takagi told everyone to return home, Kotori needed to discuss something with him.

"Shachou, is that your true intention?"

President Takagi turned to her, ceasing from flipping the switch to deactivate the ceiling lights. "It is my intention to make sure that Akimoto-kun does not commit another mistake. But… if this keeps up then I will have no choice but to fire him."

Kotori noticed his expression. It was rather difficult to decipher, but she knew how he felt… saddened. For some reason, she could not help but to smile.

"You really trust him, don't you?"

The word "trust" lingered in his mind. "…I cannot specify exactly. But I've been watching him in secret." He, indeed, believed in Kamei because he discovered an anomaly inside him, which no one else had seen. The impression he saw was potential.

"I am positive that the Producer had witnessed that feeling as well," he said, nodding.

Kotori cocked her head in puzzlement. "Hm? Producer-san? Feeling?"

She contemplated on what he meant. _What is he talking about? _

"What's really important now is what Akimoto-kun will do next… Will he truly turn everything around? Or, will he allow the company to fall? That's what I want to know."

Kotori broke from her train of thought. "I don't have much to say… Do you honestly believe he will save us?"

After a long moment of silence, President Takagi nodded and said, "I _do_ believe that he will save our company… just as the Producer had done years back. He just needs the appropriate motivation."

Kotori narrows her eyebrows, looking very troubled. "I hope you're right…"

~End of Chapter~

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


	14. Chapter 13 Oblivious Consequences

**Disclaimer:** I, Phoenixflames19, wish to clarify that the anime/manga/video game(s), THE iDOLMSTER, are the property of outside companies (A-1 Pictures, Namco Bandai Games, etc) and claim no ownership of the characters.

**Spoiler: **This chapter will primarily focus on the Producer, which we know is the protagonist from the games, and the Co-Producer. The Producer has a little more screen time on this one. The idols, for once, will serve as minor characters here. There will be a recurring character from the anime. Those fans should be able to recognize her, despite her extremely small role. **  
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**Note(s):** Hey, it's been a while since I last updated. I want to apologize for my lack of attention on this fanfic. It is due to my somewhat laziness and that I am occupied with my obligations and other hobby (which is drawing). However, I promise not to abandon the story and will continue working on it whenever possible. My goal is to complete the fanfic by the end of 2011 (before January 1, 2012), and my capable plan is to write at least one chapter a week.

This chapter has recently been completed and is mostly a raw material. Only a few edits and revisions were applied. I still tend to make mistakes throughout the course of writing. I usually return to the chapters to fix them, but I can still be oblivious of other errors. If there's anything wrong with this chapter, let me know.

In all honestly, I am a little worried for this chapter. Though, I will leave the evaluation to you, the readers. Again, I am open for suggestions that will make this fanfic more sound and interesting. Please be sure to review. I'll gratefully appreciate it.**  
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Without further delay, proceed with the read and review for this chapter.

**Chapter 13 Oblivious Consequences**

Days had elapsed since Kamei's private discussion with President Takagi. He had given some of the staff at 765 Pro an uneasy feeling about his supposedly beneficial, but vague plan. They were filled with doubt. Though, the other half believed that his scheme would likely succeed, that is, if he took his role seriously.

Presently, it was one of those industrious moments of the week, the period where the brightest star was at the highest pinnacle in the afternoon sky. The time of day was 2:00pm, an hour before the idols return to the music company. It was also a perfect moment for the Producer to commit his own commendable action and speak with Kamei. Since he was still a beginner to the whole music business, the Producer decided to take him under his wing and instruct him on how to properly produce the idols. He planned to at least teach Kamei for short intervals whenever he was available in the company. There were previous moments where the Producer could have applied this step sooner, but he and Kamei were both occupied with their own obligations; with the Producer maintaining and supervising Project Viola, and Kamei handling the renovation project.

Time was of the essence since the Producer only had one hour before the idols arrive. The moment to initiate his action was now. Completing his tasks at his desk, he rose up from his swivel chair and exited the office room. Once outside, he walked down the stairs to the second floor and approached the door leading into the area where Kamei and his construction team were. As soon as he was about to place his hand on the handle, the door suddenly opened from the inside.

Appearing in front of the Producer was Kamei, who gave him a nonchalant expression. "Eh? Oh, heya Producer. Sorry about this but you can't go in here."

The Producer became puzzled. "Eh? Why not?"

As he spoke, Kamei turned his head and glanced away. "It's… complicated back there. Noisy and crowded and all that…"

"Oh well, that's fine," the Producer said, refocusing on the reason why he was here. "Anyways, I am not here to check your progress. I am here to inform you that I will be instructing you in the ways of music production for today."

"Eh? That's nice of you but I'm pretty busy right now," Kamei said, still avoiding eye contact.

The Producer lowered his head slightly and eyed him with a somber stare. "I am well-aware of it. I am busy as well, but that is no excuse for you to shirk work as a co-producer. You really need to manage your time more carefully."

"…Hmm. Good point." He shifted his gaze back to the Producer and unveiled a friendly smile. "You sound just like Ritsuko… quite admirable."

The Producer sighed as he crossed his arms to his chest. "Please, take this seriously Akimoto-san. To start off, you will need to be professional."

Kamei glanced is eyes away again. "Um… aren't I already professional? I mean, I've been a pianist, mechanic, and renovator for quite some time. I've also recently became a co-producer."

"T-That's not what I meant…" the Producer said, hanging his arms and leaning forward. "I guess I should've been more specific."

Kamei returned his attention to him and smiled casually. "What was that, Producer?"

The Producer straightened himself. "What I am trying to say is you need to look more professional. You need to wear a business suit and get rid of that hat. It's hard for everyone, including me, to take you seriously."

"But I like my hat…" he said, placing a hand on his head and then stretching his vest. "And what's wrong with the way I look? Besides, I don't like wearing suits. It makes me feel… so formal."

The Producer closed his eyes as he pressed his hand against his face. "…That's the point." He lowered his hand and looked at him. "Anyways, I want you to come with me right now. I'll instruct you on how to handle the girls' schedules."

"…Hmm, alright then," Kamei said, complying with the Producer's command.

Before leaving, Kamei informed his renovation team to continue the project without him. The team simply answered with nods and resumed their assigned tasks. Then, Kamei turned and followed the Producer back to the office. Once there, the Producer guided Kamei to the white board that was located in the small meeting and positioned on the wall.

"Alright, Akimoto-san. This is pretty simple," the Producer said, facing Kamei as if he was the colonel of an army. "All you have to do is write down the schedule on this white board. Each event corresponds to the names of the idols. It's basically like a drop down list. Furthermore…"

As he continued to lecture, Kamei gradually became bored and started to space out. He looked at the Producer and pictured him as a man who was ranting with nonsensical noise emitting out of his mouth. _Blah blah blah_ was the gibberish that formed in his mind.

Shortly, the Producer noticed Kamei's facial expression and immediately stopped his lecture. "Akimoto-san, are you listening to me?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course," Kamei said, simply nodding and casually smiling. "Keep going, I'm listening to you crystal clear."

The Producer scrunched his eyes and became suspicious. "…Hmm. Alright then. As I was saying…"

After another five minutes of lecture, the Producer completed his lesson and handed Kamei his and Ritsuko's daily planners and a black marker in order to start writing down the events on the white board.

"I'll be in Shachou's office. He needs me for something. I'm counting on you, Akimoto-san."

The Producer departed from his presence and entered Takagi's office, leaving Kamei all by his lonesome. Kamei glanced around with his relaxed eyes before focusing his attention to the planner. He opened and scanned through the various pages until he located the appropriate one that corresponded with today.

"…This should be it," he said as he started to write down the appointments.

After five to ten minutes of transferring the plan onto the board, Kamei finally completed the task he was given. Satisfied, he closed and placed the planner on the Producer's desk and departed from the office with a pleased expression. Immediately after his departure, the Producer emerged from Takagi's office. He returned to the meeting area but discovered that Kamei was gone. Crossing his arms, he made an assumption.

"He must've finished. It is to be expected since it's not a hard task," the Producer said, smiling afterwards. "He's done well for a beginner. Hopefully, I'll see more of that."

An hour had passed. Most of the idols recently had been released from their classes and arrived at 765 Pro. Once inside the office, the first action they committed was to check today's schedule. As soon as they peered on the first couple of events, they became puzzled, believing that the arrangement of the appointments seemed rather misplaced.

The first girl to react was Chihaya. "Eh? Is this… correct?" she said, her tone of voice rising in slight disbelief.

The girl next to her, Takane, responded to Chihaya's claim. "I do not believe this is accurate. It must be a certain error."

Shortly, the Producer and Ritsuko arrived and noticed that the girls were bickering in doubt about their schedules. Like them, he became confused, but he attempted to assess the situation.

"What's going on?" the Producer said, grabbing their immediate attention.

Chihaya turned as she answered. "Producer, there is something wrong with the schedule."

The producers became more baffled. When they approached the white board, the girls separated from each other to allow them passage. Facing the board, they examined the schedule until they caught a glimpse of what Chihaya was insinuating. To be sure, they asked Miki, who was closest to the desk, to bring over their planners. She complied with their request and gave them to the producers. With the items in their hands, they compared the events. After a few seconds, their doubts became justified.

"Chihaya is right!" Ritsuko said, exclaiming in surprise.

Like her, the Producer was stunned. His belief of Kamei performing well on a simple task was crushed underneath the heavy weight of uncertainty and disbelief. It was not a huge error though since the original arrangements still remained in their planners, and they could simply correct the mistake. But it did not change the fact that Kamei issued a blunder on his part.

"Producer, didn't you assign Akimoto-san for this task?" Ritsuko said, glancing at him with a suspicious stare.

The Producer focused his eyes on her. "Yeah… In a way it's my fault but it's too difficult for someone not to notice the names on the planner. I mean, it's well-organized and in plain-sight."

Ritsuko nodded as she looked at the planner again. "That's true… I don't think he had paid attention to you at all."

"I… had the feeling," he said, sighing.

Chihaya approached them with a somber expression. "So, it was Kamei's doing?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. But let's not stray from the reason why we are here today."

Shortly, Ritsuko and the Producer began to inform the idols of what their actual schedules were. As soon as they received and understood the agendas, they departed from the company. Before the producers left, they entrusted Kotori with their planners to reorganize the white board.

When they left, Kotori sighed in dismay. "Why make me do this? Isn't this Akimoto-san's doing?"

Prior to the Producer's departure from the company, he paid Kamei a visit at the second floor, pre-production, dance studio. He opened the door and entered the room. There, he found him on the floor, leaning against the wall with the shadows covering his eyes. His sitting position was of a style where one leg was bent on the surface while the other knelt up with the sole of the feet touching on the floor. It was strange that no one else was present in the room. The Producer assumed that the rest of the renovation ream took a break or ended their work for the day. Unfortunately, there was no time to continue thinking further of the situation for he had to drop some of the idols off to their events.

"Akimoto-san! I need a word with you!" he said, raising his voice and approaching him with stiff movements like an authoritarian.

Kamei did not budge a finger until the Producer's shadow overlapped his figure. Opening his eyes, he raised his head and glanced exhaustedly at him. "Oh, heya Producer. How goes it?"

The Producer briefly remained silent as he icily stared at him. "…Akimoto-san, I've been informed that you swapped events around on the schedule."

"Eh? I have no clue what you're talking about," he said, shifting his gaze afterwards. "I followed your instructions… more or less."

"More or less? You weren't paying attention at all, weren't you," he said, his hear full of doubt.

Kamei became silent as he scratched the back of his head.

"I knew it…" the Producer said, scrunching his eyes in loathe.

After a short moment of quietness, he regained his composure and uttered a deep, but gentle sigh. "No reason to get worked up by a simple mistake… but next time I won't let you off that easily."

"…Hmm. Did you say something?" Kamei said, focusing his eyes and grinning nonchalantly at him.

"O-Oh, nothing…"

The Producer thought to himself. _Don't let him push your buttons… He just needs someone to steer him at the right direction._

"A-Anyways, I have another task for you. This one is much simpler than you think," he said, refocusing his attention to Kamei.

Kamei cocked his head slightly. "I wasn't thinking at all… so what do I get to do now?"

"You're going to supervise a dance session," the Producer said, scrunching his eyes with a stern expression. "Afterwards, you will bring the assigned idols to their destinations via car."

Kamei glanced away as he unveiled a reluctant demeanor. "I feel like I'm going to become bored out of my mind."

"It's not about you, it's about them," the Producer said, crossing his arms in slight annoyance. "Any Producer should know that."

"…Hmm. Good Point."

Kamei pushed off the floor and gradually pulled himself upward. His body wobbled a bit but he gained his balance. He offered the Producer a casual smile. But this made him become a little suspicious. Keeping his cool, the Producer lowered his arms and headed for the door.

"I hope you know how to drive a car," he said, reaching the handle and opening the door. "If not, that's just sad."

Kamei shifted his eyes away as he followed the Producer. "Well, that's a little harsh… but sure. I can drive… More or less."

Some time had elapsed; about thirty minutes. The Producer entrusted Kamei to accompany a few of the idols, which were Yukiho, Makoto, and Haruka. Haruka was switched with Hibiki in order to lessen the tension between her and Kamei, since she and along with a few others did not particularly and warmly welcome him in the iMS family. Fortunately, this gave Kamei an opportunity to bond with some of the idols who have yet to disapprove him.

Haruka, Makoto, and Yukiho were the first to enter the dance room of the studio. Kamei was the last individual due to his sluggish movements. To be precise, he seemed very distracted and uninterested ever since arriving there. It was his first time accompanying them to this three- story building that looked like an apartment. He almost became lost until he noticed where the girls headed. Before joining the girls, he bought himself a smoothie from one of the vending machines. He gradually started to drink it, savoring the cool, fruity liquid every time it touched his taste buds.

"…Not bad," he said, approaching the door of the dance room. "But I prefer the smoothies at bakeries and pastry shops."

Once inside, he witnessed a dance rehearsal from the idols he accompanied. Judging by the bodily movements and the energy that the girls were exerting, he assumed that they had only began the practice. He had no idea what routine they were dancing but he wanted to know out of curiosity.

When Kamei shifted his eyes to the left, he noticed a young woman in a white jogging suit. Her dark brunette hair reached down to her shoulders and had her bangs combed back, exposing her forehead. He speculated that she was the dance instructor, and approached her.

"Heya, don't mean to bother ya," he said, glancing at her with his usual, relaxed eyes.

The female instructor gave a quick gaze. "Oh, not at all," she said, shaking her head and smiling. Raising her hand, the girls temporarily ceased their routine. "You must be the Co-Producer of 765 Pro."

Kamei nodded as he spoke. "That I am, Miss Instructor. I am taking over the Producer for today's session."

"Since that's the case, I'm counting on you to decide on whether or not your idols should remain at their current pace."

He nodded again as he continued to drink his smoothie.

The instructor shifted her attention to the girls. "Alright! Let's take it back to the top!"

The girls repositioned themselves and quietly waited for the instructor's cue. When the instructor started to clap her hands and count from one to three repeatedly in a steady beat, the girls initiated their dance routine.

Kamei silently watched their performance. After around thirty to forty seconds of practice, he noticed that one of them was lagging behind. The slow girl, Yukiho, seemed to be having a difficult time keeping up with Makoto. Haruka was a little sluggish but she still managed to keep in rhythm with her.

"Stop stop!" the instructor immediately said, her tone of voice loud and commanding.

The girls ceased again from dancing and straightened themselves.

The instructor stared at Yukiho in slight irritation. "Hagiwara-san, you're timing are still slow like always. Please, keep up."

Yukiho became startled, jumping lightly in response to her comment. "Y-yes! I understand!" she said, stuttering in a soft, timid tone.

The instructor turned her attention to Makoto. "Kikuchi-san, you're still a little too fast. Please, slow down a bit."

Makoto staggered in surprise, reacting similarly like Yukiho. "A-Ah! I'm still too fast?"

Haruka raised her hand as soon as she finished speaking. "Um, how did I do?"

"…Hmm. Well, there's this and that," the instructor said, crossing her arms and contemplating on Haruka's previous mistakes. "Just a little adjustment and you'll be fine."

"I'd say we increase the pace a little," Kamei said, glancing at the girls dully. "That way, it'll motivate the slow ones to work harder."

The instructor gave him a worried expression. "E-Eh? Are you sure about that?"

"B-But Akimoto-san… I-I can't…" Yukiho said, trying to verbally express her feeling about his decision.

Kamei shifted his eyes to her. "It's either that or be removed from the program. Can't disappoint the fans, right?"

When she processed those statements into her mind, she became stunned, widening her eyes to the thought of being excluded from the event she had worked industriously for. Her throat tightened, as if something plunged and clogged in there, and was unable to speak any more. All she could do was lower her head and stare at the floor in guilt with her teary-like eyes.

Makoto stepped forward as she protested against the idea and defended Yukiho. "Akimoto-san! How could you say that? Yukiho has been working hard, trying her best," she said, giving him an aggravated stare.

"Under these circumstances, 765 Pro can't keep idols if they can't continue moving with the flow," he said, turning his head away to avoid eye contact.

"T-That's true but…" Makoto paused, not sure on what else to say.

Yukiho shook her head. "No… Akimoto-san is right… No one wants to keep an idol like me who keeps failing…"

"Y-Yukiho, what are you saying? Don't think that way!" Makoto said, yelling and protesting against her negativity.

"…I'm not going to perform in the next event… it'll be best to do it without me," she said, shivering lightly as if she was about to shed tears.

"Yukiho!"

As soon as Makoto was about to reach for her, Yukiho immediately jerked her body and rushed out of the dance room with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry!"

The door opened and Yukiho stormed out of the room. The instructor, Haruka, and Makoto were surprised to witness such a reaction. As for Kamei, he was unfazed and simply stared off at the open door.

"…She'll be fine," Kamei said as he finished the last of his smoothie with a long slurp. "Just continue with the dance practice so we can return home sooner."

Makoto swung her arm down and stomped her foot on the floor. "No way! We're not practicing without her!"

Haruka, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke with a somber expression. "Makoto!"

Startled, Makoto switched her attention to her. "H-Haruka?"

By glaring deeply into Haruka's eyes, Makoto understood the message that she was transmitting to her. She told her that they would deal with the issue later once the dance practice was over. Makoto clenched her hands into fists for she did not favor the idea, but it must be done.

The instructor looked at him, still worrying about Yukiho. "Are you sure about this?"

Kamei simply nodded. "…More or less."

The instructor thought to herself. _Is this guy for real? I worry for the idols' futures. _

A few hours had elapsed; it was now 9:30pm in the evening. Most of the idols had completed their tasks and recently returned to 765 Pro. Though, the only female idol that had not shown in the office was none other than Yukiho. Due to her depression, she departed early from the dance studio, having her father bring her home by car. Obviously, the idols that had no knowledge about her odd behavior would become worried.

When the Producer entered the office to count the girls who were present, he noticed that Yukiho was missing. He became awfully suspicious of her absence and demanded an explanation from Haruka and Makoto. He could have asked Kamei, but he was already at the second floor room before he arrived. Fortunately, he still received an elucidation from the girls, who seemed very eager to tell him on what occurred.

After a moment of information processing, he understood the situation and proceeded out of the office and towards the second floor. He stomped all the way there with an austerely aggravated expression, nearly tripping over the stairs due to the ignorance for his own safety. Once there at the room, he hastily swung the door open and approached Kamei who was overlooking the progression of the renovations.

"Akimoto-san, I need a word with you," he said, his tone quick and demanding.

Kamei turned around and faced the Producer, almost fazed by his attempt to surprise him. "Oh, heya. What do you want to talk about?"

"…In private," the Producer said, lowering his voice not to disturb the construction workers.

"No need to be shy," Kamei said, unveiling his usual, nonchalant grin.

"I'm serious! Stop joking around!" he said loudly, raising his shoulders and stiffening his body.

Despite his effort to keep a low profile, he still managed to alert the workers much to his dismay. The workers stopped dead in their tracks and gave him awkward stares, as if the Producer had gone insane.

Kamei shifted his glance away, adjusting his eyes to have a fatigued expression. "Well, that's rather aggressive and uncalled for…"

The Producer began to stutter. "H-Hey! It's your fault that you're not taking me seriously! A-Anyways, just come! This is important!" Regaining his composure, he turned and headed for the door.

Kamei blinked his eyes a few times in bafflement. Reluctant at first, he simply shrugged his shoulders, informed the workers to continue renovating, and casually strode after the Producer.

As soon as he exited the room, the Producer immediately shut the door tight. He briefly became silent until he shifted his attention to Kamei. His glasses glistened as he gave him an awfully scornful glare.

"I've heard what happened at the dance studio," the Producer said, his tone agitated and hostile. "What you did was completely unacceptable."

Kamei turned his head, avoiding eye contact. "…Hmm. I don't know what you're talking about. Rather, I don't remember things too well."

"Then allow me to explain it for you in the simplest way I can express. You made Yukiho cry and doubt her capabilities as an idol. She had been working for more than 2 years now. All of a sudden, you shut her down like that? That is completely intolerable."

"She's a grown woman… she'll get over it," Kamei said, oblivious of the true consequence behind his action.

"You really think it's that simple? She's maturing but she's still a girl!" he said loudly, nearly losing his patience.

"…Hmm. Good point."

The Producer adjusted his glasses and crossed his arms as he continued to speak. "Honestly, you don't really know what you're doing… It's only been a day and yet, you don't follow my directions."

Kamei lowered his head until the shadows covered his eyes, and slowly formulated a grin on his face. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"W-What?" the Producer said, his voice stuttering and his heart filled with doubt for his response.

"I, indeed followed your directions, but you never 'supervised' me for errors," Kamei simply said, raising his head to glance at him. "Besides, isn't it your fault that you never rechecked the schedule?"

The Producer twitched his hand and felt something nearly snapped inside him. "So, you're being a smart-ass now, huh? It's pure common sense, especially in music business. We are all busy in this company. That is why I entrusted you with these tasks, which became your full responsibilities. A co-producer does not ignore details of a schedule, and it is his job to assure that an idol's career continues. He encourages his idols to continue doing their best, not shut them down just because they're not doing their best. You really don't know how these girls feel, do you?"

"… Not really," Kamei said, shrugging his shoulders. Then, he offered a casual smile. "None of that matters much now, does it?"

The tension against Kamei grew and the anger within the Producer gradually accumulated. After a short moment of intense silence, the Producer closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Pushing aside his aggravation, he resolved the dilemma with his next statement.

"What am I going to do with you? I've already evaluated your results and they are very unfavorable…" he said, his tone now calm and collected, as if he had dealt with this situation many times before. "The renovation project is no excuse for you to perform poorly as a co-producer…"

Kamei shifted his glance away again. "I usually don't like long speeches."

"All I can ask from you is three simple things. Complete the project, take over for the vocal instructor whenever she is absent, and most importantly… stay out of our way," the Producer said, staring icily at him with a poisonous glare.

After a long moment of awkward quietness, Kamei lowered his head, allowing the shadows to cloak his eyes, and smiled sincerely. "…As you wish, Producer."

Though, the outcomes could have been much more amicable, the situation was at least settled. For the Producer, it was a temporary ceasefire; or the calm before the storm. In other words, he had yet to unleash his full fury against him in his and the idols' names.

The Producer walked passed Kamei with their shoulders lightly colliding. He refused to look at him, or even to speak another word. Instead, he allowed the cold, eerie aura that emitted from his body to express his feelings about him. As he reached halfway up the stairs, he stopped to give one last glance at Kamei.

"You're lucky that I won't get you fired so easily. I am sorry… but next screw up, and you're out of here…"

It was unusual for the Producer to react with such a behavior, but it could not be helped. Those who do not find Kamei a pleasant man would respond similarly, especially when he had no care for the consequences and does whatever he find pleasing.

With that said, the Producer returned to the direction he faced and walked up the stairs. Turning the corner, he vanished, leaving Kamei by himself the sound of his stomping.

Remaining silent, Kamei turned his smile into a frown as his face changed into a saddened expression. _ So much for my plan… _

~End of Chapter~

**Note: **Though I was reluctant, I believed it was necessary to bring Kamei down and turn him into a slight jerk. Please, tell me what you think of my decision. Also, forgive me if the Producer seemed out of character. I only believed that everyone would react the same way for Kamei.

© 2011 Phoenixflames19


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